Daddy Dearest
by Ms-Figg
Summary: Severus Snape is not ready to be a father, and when a onenight stand with 20 year old Hermione Granger results in pregnancy, he refuses to take care of or acknowledge the child. Eleven years later Mathias Granger enters Slytherin house. The fun starts.
1. Daddy Dearest Part 1

**Author's Note: This is a very long and convoluted story that is not only about HG SS but their child, his associates and the problems concerning a very updated Voldemort. Not only are JKR's characters here, but their children who are followed until they reach adulthood. I'm sure one or two of these characters are really going to piss you off. lol. Become the kid you love to hate. It's a story about growth, taking responsibility, forgiveness, reparation and above all Love, and what love can lead one to do. It's also a story about bigotry and hatred and how it can alter a society. Lots of drama, adventure, angst, romance and many laughs ahead. Some pretty hot scenes too. I hope you'll give this story a chance. It's one of my personal favorites.**

* * *

**Daddy Dearest**

"You're what?" the Potions Master asked the witch in front of him.

"Pregnant. I'm pregnant Severus," Hermione said.

The Potions Master looked at the witch. Damn, he'd only shagged her once, and that's because she practically threw herself at him. Well, that wasn't completely true. She had quite a bit of help, thanks to a few strawberry daiquiris.

"I can give you a potion to end it," he said to her.

Hermione looked at him as if he were crazy.

"I won't kill our child," she declared firmly.

The Potions Master looked at her.

"You won't kill _your_ child. I want nothing to do with this," he said. "I am not about to marry you because you didn't use a contraceptive. And I'm not going to pay out my hard earned galleons to care for a child that shouldn't be born. You keep this baby, Hermione, you'll take care of it yourself."

Hermione couldn't believe this.

"But it's your child too," she exclaimed at the wizard.

"No. I was just a sperm donor. I don't want children, and will not allow you to force one on me. You were a one-night stand. A pick-up at the Three Broomsticks. You were so forward, I believe you would have at least had protection."

Actually, Severus had run across Hermione at the Three Broomsticks, gotten her drunk, seduced her, booked an overnight room and took her virginity. He wasn't about to pay for the rest of his life for a bit of trim.

"How would I have protection when I had no idea I'd be having sex?" she asked him.

Hermione remembered waking up next to the Professor, horrified. She jumped out of the bed and got a glimpse of the bloody sheets, and groaned. The wizard had awakened and smirked at her evilly, then scourgified himself, dressed and left without a word.

She didn't know what had happened for her to end up in bed with him. The wizard had joined her at her table and started buying her drinks. She didn't remember much else after that. But he had sex with her, she was certain. This was no immaculate conception.

Hermione was in her second year of university. She graduated Hogwarts with honors and was working towards a degree for Spells Mistress. The witch was so focused on her education that she had no time for wizards. Obviously she had made time this particular night.

When her period was late, Hermione prayed it was just stress. But it never came. She apparated to London and purchased several testing kits. Every one came up positive. She didn't know what to do. Now she was three months pregnant and had decided to tell the Potions Master he was about to be a father. Hopefully he would do the right thing and at least help take care of the child.

But he was telling her no. He wasn't going to fulfill his responsibility. He wanted her to kill it. Well, she wouldn't do it.

Severus looked at her.

"If you want this child, that's your choice. As I said, I want nothing to do with it…and if you try to force me, I will drag your name through the mud so deep it will leave a furrow that will encompass the entire wizarding world. No one will want to employ you when you finish university after I'm done with you. So think hard about this witch," the wizard said scowling at her.

The stupid chit. She should know to get rid of it. A baby would only hamper her education. She could have other children later when she was ready.

Hermione stood up.

"Fine," she said, "I will raise this baby myself then. Why I thought you'd do the honorable thing is beyond me."

"It's beyond me too," Severus replied, "Now get out of my office. I don't want to hear another word about this child, ever."

"You fucking bastard," Hermione spat at him.

"You are exactly right. Good-bye, Miss Granger," the Potions Master said dismissively.

Hermione rose and stormed toward the door.

"One day you're going to regret this," she said.

"I highly doubt that. Now get out of my sight. I am not above hexing a pregnant witch," he said, pulling out his wand.

Hermione cursed him and left his office.

"Stupid chit," Severus breathed to himself as the door slammed shut. "She's on Stripe if she thinks I'm taking care of her bastard. The Dark Lord would flay me alive if he knew I impregnated a muggle-born and actually took responsibility."

He pulled several parchments toward him and began marking them, pushing Hermione and her child out of his mind.

He did this quite well for the next eleven years.

* * *

"Mathias Granger," Professor Minerva McGonagall announced, reading from the parchment of new first years. It was the Sorting Ceremony, where the new students were sorted into their respective houses. 

The close-knit, and rather frightened crowd of young students milled about as someone struggled through the midst of them. A pale, dark-haired boy pushed through the children, turning to scowl fiercely at them for blocking his way before mounting the dais, and sitting on the stool, his face expressionless.

Severus Snape stared at the boy. His facial features were the spitting image of his mother, but he had black eyes, hair and rather pale skin. His demeanor was rather sober.

Minerva placed the Sorting Hat on Mathias head. The hat began to speak.

"Ah, interesting. A sharp mind, very sharp. You have quite a bit of intelligence and would do well in Ravenclaw…yet you are brave…almost to a fault. That is a Gryffindor trait…"

The Hat fell silent for a moment.

"But there is anger. And great ambition. There is selfishness, and darkness too," the Hat said in a disapproving voice. "There is only one place for you, boy. Slytherin!"

Cheers went up from the Slytherin table as Mathias rose from the stool, his dark eyes washing over the cheering students. He scowled and walked down to the table. He was greeted enthusiastically, but he didn't crack a single smile as he shook hands with his housemates. The young wizard sat down and folded his hands, watching the rest of the ceremony with a rather bored expression.

"He'd rather be someplace else," Severus thought as he looked at the boy. "I'd rather he was too."

Albus Dumbledore looked at the Professor, then at the dark-haired boy. He shook his head slightly. So Mathias Granger was sorted into Slytherin house and was under the protection of his estranged father.

Sparks were bound to fly sooner or later.

* * *

The Slytherin prefect led the first year students down a long, dismal corridor, lit by torches with no windows. He walked quickly. 

"You're in the dungeons," Wanford Cuttleson informed the first years as they struggled to keep up. "Slytherin house itself is located under the lake."

The brown-eyed, brown-haired seventh-year wizard led the first years to the end of the corridor, which was a blank stone wall.

"Serpentsasia," he said, and the wall slid back, revealing a corridor. He looked back at the stunned faces. "Remember that word. It is our current password and will let you into Slytherin house. You will be informed of any changes."

He walked through the wall, followed closely by the first years. The corridor was ill-lit, and damp. They walked a short distance and came to a set of iron doors emblazoned with serpents. The handles themselves were entwined snakes. Wanford pulled the doors open and entered the Slytherin common room, which was low ceilinged and furnished with greenish lamps and green comfortable chairs. Assorted tables were scattered about for students to work or play games at. A large fireplace covered almost one full side of the room.

"It looks like a dungeon," one witch whispered, looking about the room wide-eyed. She had whitish-blonde hair, ice-blue eyes and a rather pointed chin.

"This is the common room. You will do your class work and spend your free time here when not otherwise engaged," Wanford said as the students looked about.

Mathias focused on the wizarding chess tables and wondered if there was anyone here worth playing. Uncle Ron claimed he was the best young player of wizard's chess that he had ever seen. When the red-haired wizard asked Mathias how he learned to play so well, the boy gave him a simple answer.

"It's mostly logic, Uncle Ron. Logic and courage," Mathias responded, his calm black eyes resting on the wizard. "Everyone on the board has their job to do. You just have to let them do it."

Mathias knew that Ronald Weasley really wasn't his uncle by blood, but he had known him since he was a child. Ron was the one who taught him chess and the rules of Quidditch, though it was Uncle Harry who taught him how to fly on a broom by the time he was seven years old.

His mother had been appalled. She didn't like flying and Mathias assumed she thought he wouldn't either. She claimed he was too young to fly, but he took to the sky like a hippogriff. He showed such skill and control that Hermione had to concede he was able to hold his own in the air, and said no more about it, much to both Mathias' and Ron's delight.

Hermione hadn't been much better as far as his education went in relation to his age. He was home-schooled by the witch, and she piled the knowledge on. Mathias' knowledge of spells and potions was phenomenal for a youth of eleven years of age. Unlike his mother when she was younger, the wizard felt no need to spout everything he knew just because someone asked. Mathias didn't like the idea of it. It was like showing off. He disliked show-offs.

Which was why he didn't get along with Harry's son, James…who he thought was an idiot, always mouthing off about how his father was going to be the savior of the Wizarding World when he killed the Dark Lord. The annoying, auburn-haired, green-eyed wizard had been sorted into Gryffindor house, and Mathias was glad. He didn't think he could take being in the same house with the arrogant git. Plus, James teased him because he didn't have a father. Harry talked to his son about this once or twice, but James still tormented Mathias whenever he got pissed with him.

Mathias father was dead. His mother didn't get the chance to marry him before he died. She never told the boy how he died. In fact, she would always change the subject whenever he brought it up. She wouldn't even tell him his father's name. Uncles Ron and Harry also were very tight-lipped about it, so Mathias deduced that there was some secret that he wasn't meant to know. It angered him that his mother was keeping the truth from him. One day he would find out the truth about his father, he was certain.

Wanford led the first years into the common room and ordered them to sit down and wait quietly while he went and informed the Head of House they were situated and ready for his address.

Most of the first years huddled together in tight clusters for comfort, wary of the unfamiliar surroundings they found themselves in. Portraits of rather severe looking wizards and witches scowled down on them, occasionally telling them to sit still when a student ventured out of a chair to wander.

Mathias settled in an armchair a distance from the others. New places didn't disturb him a bit. His mother had told him about the wonder that was Hogwarts since he could first understand words. But when he arrived, he felt she had overdone it a bit. Hermione particularly talked about how wonderful Gryffindor House was and how it was the best house at Hogwarts. He wondered how she'd take him being sorted into Slytherin. He listened to his uncles talk about how shady Slytherins were, how they only looked out for themselves and how they were Gryffindor's nemesis. He figured none of them would be happy about his placement. For some reason, that knowledge made the boy smirk.

Mathias didn't think anything was wrong with looking out for himself first. If a person didn't look out for himself, who would? Logically, it made sense to put oneself first. But the boy never told his mother this as she went on and on about Gryffindor traits of selflessness, loyalty and great courage. Mathias believed you could be selfish and still have loyalty and courage. Which was probably why the Sorting Hat put him in Slytherin.

Suddenly all the murmuring in the common room stopped as a tall wizard strode into the room, his rooms billowing about him majestically. He wasn't a very good-looking wizard. His hair was black and greasy looking, falling over his shoulders, while his nose was quite long and hooked. He had very sallow skin and piercing black eyes that looked as if he could see right inside a student's head. He didn't look like someone to be trifled with.

Professor Severus Snape scowled at all the students who blanched, with the exception of Mathias, who looked at the wizard with interest. He spoke with a rich, soft, almost hypnotic voice that immediately grabbed the attention of the listener

"I am your Head of House, Professor Severus Snape. I will be responsible for you your entire tenure at this school. If you have a problem, you come to me first…before reporting to any teacher or the Headmaster, particularly if the situation puts you in a bad light. It is my job to protect you. I also serve as Hogwarts' Potions Master, and I will be teaching you the basics of potions this year," the Professor said, his black eyes sweeping over the students as if trying to divine who would deservedly pass his class, though he always gave his Slytherins passing marks. He continued.

"You have been sorted into the House of Slytherin which was founded centuries ago by Salazar Slytherin. Our crest is a silver serpent on a green field, and our house colors are silver and green. Also our representative house animal is a serpent. We have a resident ghost, the Bloody Baron. I have no doubt you will all see him at some point tonight. He enjoys visiting our new students…"

Here the Potions Master smirked. There would be quite a few screams of terror and wetted beds in the dormitories tonight. Pissing one's self in horror at the sight of the Bloody Baron was one of the rites of passage in Slytherin house. The ghost really looked forward to spooking the first years each new term. He was quite good at it.

"As Slytherins there are certain traits you either have or will develop that are tantamount to success, those are resourcefulness, determination and a certain…disregard for the rules. However, if you are caught breaking rules, you will be punished accordingly. But only if you are caught. As Slytherins we practice a philosophy of exclusiveness. We do not mix or fraternize with students of other houses unless it is to best them in some endeavor. We stay among our own, unless there is some personal benefit or gain to doing otherwise."

Severus smirked as he thought of the kind of endeavors that warranted mixing, such as shagging witches or manipulating wizards from other houses. But these students were too young for that…such conquests were for later years. More than one Slytherin witch had made a wizard of an opposing house team throw a Quidditch match against Slytherin for a chance to shag her. A chance that never materialized afterwards.

The Potions Master continued.

"We have a point system here at Hogwarts. House points are given or taken away to reward or punish students for their behavior. They are also won in Quidditch matches. These points accumulate over the course of the school year. At the end of the year a House Cup is awarded to the house with the most points. It is a great honor and one I covet. I expect you all to do your part to gain points for our house, as well as lose points for our rival houses," the Potions Master said, eyeing the students.

Mathias smiled broadly at this instruction. He would love to make James Potter lose some house points. Severus noticed the smile out of the corner of his eye, but continued.

"You will find giant hourglasses in the entrance hall that record the points of the houses. Our hourglass is filled with emeralds. Whenever a teacher or other authorized party speaks words awarding or deducting points, the hourglass is automatically updated to record the gain or loss. Normally, only staff is authorized to do this, but prefects can also take points from you, and are biased toward their own houses. Be wary of them. Slytherin house is always a target."

The Professor paused, allowing this to sink in, then continued, walking back and forth now, his eyes drifting over the first years as he did so.

"You are expected to keep your marks up. Failure in any class is not acceptable, and you will be punished for it. Pass any way you can, but try to learn something," the wizard purred at them.

The students looked at each other. Was the wizard telling them to cheat if they had to?

Severus scowled and they quickly turned their attention back to the pale wizard. He suddenly stopped pacing and gave them a dark, warning glare.

"And never, ever reveal anything that goes on in this house to anyone outside of it. What happens here, stays here. If anyone is caught in violation of this rule, it would be better if they had never come to Hogwarts. Your loyalty is to your house above all else. Remember that," Severus said severely, a dangerous glint in his eye.

The students all nodded, including Mathias, who was watching the wizard intently. There was something about him that appealed to the boy's darker nature.

"Your housemates will be your family within Hogwarts," the Potions Master continued, "You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. You can study and play games in this area. First years share sleeping quarters. As you advance in grade there will be opportunities to have private rooms. If your parents are rich enough however, there are private rooms available to let as well. Slytherin house is the only house which offers this luxury. Those of you who would like to apply for one are to leave a written request in my office, which is located off the main entrance corridor to the left. I will take care of the rest."

A couple of the students looked very interested at this information. Mathias didn't even think about it. His mother could afford it, but she'd never do it, simply because she thought he was already too introverted. The young wizard couldn't make her understand that he liked being to himself. Most children he met were idiots and dunderheads. He would much rather read and work on his spells and potions in solitude. He was much like his mother in this way, though he didn't use books as an escape as she had. He learned because he chose to, not to fill some void in his life.

Mathias' love of solitude and learning was a part of his genetic makeup. His dislike of fools came straight from his father's side, and his love of learning from both of them. Mathias thought quite logically, and most children his age didn't. He had interests that they hadn't developed yet and was more mature than most, just as Hermione had been.

Severus looked at the students.

"You've all had a long day. Your trunks have been delivered to your rooms and your items put away. You will find a questionnaire on each of your beds that will provide me with personal information about your family background, people to contact in case of emergency and so forth. You will also be required to write a small essay on why you think Slytherin house will or will not benefit you. I expect these questionnaires on my desk by this time tomorrow night. Mr. Cuttleson! Miss Faraquay!" he called.

Both prefects immediately appeared on the landing of their respective dormitories.

"Escort the first years to their rooms," the wizard said, his eyes resting on Mathias for a moment, who looked steadily back at him, not cowed at all.

Both prefects descended the stairs.

"Witches, come with me," Abigail Faraquay directed imperiously.

"Wizards with me," Wanford directed.

The first years gathered around the prefects and followed them up the stairs. Mathias was the last boy to walk over to the prefect, his dark eyes resting on the pale wizard curiously as he passed him, not saying a word. Severus glared at him to no effect. The young wizard followed the rest of the students up the stairs and disappeared around the corner with a very slight billow of robes.

Severus stood there a moment, looking after his son. There was no doubt in his mind that Mathias was his progeny. His appearance and bearing was very much like his own though he had his mother's features. Well, thank the gods for that.

Damn it. The Potions Master almost wished he had carried out his plan to make Hermione lose the child. But that was too cruel, even for him. If she wanted to raise the little bastard, then let her. Now he was face to face with his mistake.

The wizard turned and headed for his rooms, wondering how much the boy knew. Well, that questionnaire he had quickly created would let him know just what the boy knew of his parentage. There were questions about both mother and father. Once he knew what the boy knew, he could work from there.

Severus rubbed his forehead as he left Slytherin house, slowly walking up the dungeon corridor. The son he never wanted, never contacted and never loved was sorted into Slytherin. Most likely he'd have to deal with him for the next seven years.

Gods, what a fucking mess.

* * *

Spells Mistress Hermione Granger was seated at the breakfast table drinking coffee when she heard the tapping on her kitchen window. The witch turned and saw an owl standing on the sill, looking in at her, its head cocking from side to side. A parchment was tied to its leg. 

Hermione pushed away from the table, stood up and walked over to the window, opening it. The owl flew in and settled on the table, holding out its leg, blinking up at the witch. Hermione untied the parchment then walked to the cooler and retrieved a piece of ham for the bird, who wolfed it down gratefully, then hooted at her and exited out the window, flying back to Hogwarts.

Hermione turned the parchment over in her hands for a moment. Her amber eyes had a bit of a worried look in them. She knew this was the letter that would tell her what house her son was sorted into.

"Gods, let it be Gryffindor…or even Ravenclaw," she breathed, opening the parchment and scanning it.

The witch's eyes widened, and she groaned. Dear gods. Mathias had been sorted into Slytherin. He was with his father.

Hermione let the parchment fall to the table. This was terrible. It was the worst-case scenario she had dreaded. The witch did her best to bring out the good in her son, tried to lean him towards Gryffindor house by telling him stories to impress him and make him want to be a Gryffindor. Obviously, it hadn't been enough. Now the lies she had told him about his father were bound to come out.

Hermione took a deep breath. It had been tough raising Mathias on her own, though her parents, Harry and Ron helped her greatly. She did manage to get her Spells Mistress degree, and after eleven years working at the Ministry, she was Assistant Spells Department Head. Soon the Head of the Department would be retiring and Hermione would take that spot. She was well paid and her position was quite secure. She hadn't done badly for herself. Plus she had developed several patented spells that brought in good residuals. She was not lacking for money in any case.

Hermione dropped her face into her hands in despair, knowing the day was approaching that her son would learn the truth of his parentage. That Professor Severus Snape was his father.

Hermione should have told Mathias the truth long ago, but she couldn't bring herself to tell her child he was the result of a drunken tryst with a wizard who wanted nothing to do with him. She didn't want him to know she had been so weak and foolish. She also didn't want Mathias to know his father didn't care a whit about him, and never had. It was too terrible to reveal. So she said his father was dead, and left it at that…knowing all the while one day the truth would have to be revealed.

Both Ron and Harry tried to talk her out of the deception when she told them what she planned to do. Mathias was still an infant at the time.

"It's horrible that greasy bastard is his dad, Hermione, but the boy has a right to know," Ron had told her, scowling.

Harry nodded.

"Ron's right, Hermione. Telling Mathias his father is dead isn't the answer. The truth is going to come out sooner or later, and he may end up hating you for not telling him," Harry said to the witch, who shook her head stubbornly.

"I don't want him coming up thinking his mum is a trollop and his dad a deadbeat. What will that do to him psychologically? He'll be beaten down before he got a leg up. I won't do it. I won't tell him that Ron…Harry. I can't! Promise me, both of you, that you won't tell him either. A wizard's oath!" she exclaimed, distraught and crying.

"I don't want to do this, Hermione," Harry said, his green eyes looking at her worriedly.

"Me either," Ron added.

Hermione looked at both wizards with narrowed eyes.

"If you won't do it, then I guess we can say good-bye here and now," the witch said evenly, "because neither of you will be around me or my son. I won't have you telling him what I won't tell him myself."

Ron and Harry looked at each other disbelievingly before turning their eyes back on Hermione, who had on that stubborn face she wore when she truly meant what she said.

"You'd cut us off, Hermione?" Harry asked her quietly.

"You would cut me off," she responded, "by not respecting my wishes concerning my son. It is your choice, Harry. Ron."

The wizards each took the oath, there was no other way for it. Hermione needed them and they wanted to be there for her. Harry had just had his own son, James and even with Ginny, it could be tough sometimes. For a single mother in school it had to be a hundred times more challenging.

Still, Harry had the feeling Hermione would regret her choice later on. He remembered how he felt when Dumbledore revealed all he had kept hidden from him in his fifth year. He had practically destroyed the wizard's office, and to this day, although he respected the old wizard, he still had resentment toward him.

Harry was sure Mathias wouldn't take this well. The boy had a rather dark nature. He was very much like his father, and Snape could hold a grudge even against the dead. He still hated Harry's father and Sirius Black, though they had departed the land of the living years ago. Mathias would feel betrayed by all of them. He wouldn't know whom to trust anymore. He could end up hating Hermione as much as his father.

But Hermione made her choice. There was nothing more he could say to her about it. All Harry and Ron could do was show Mathias love and hope that bond would survive the coming firestorm.

Hermione sat at the table staring into space before summoning her owl, Fedwig. He was a descendant of Harry's owl Hedwig who had passed on years before. The snowy owl fluttered into the kitchen, landing on the witch's shoulder and preening her hair before hopping to the table and looking at her expectantly as she stood up, walked over to a cabinet draw, opened it an took out a piece of parchment and quill. She sat down at the table, scribbled out a quick note then tied it securely to Fedwig's leg.

"Take this to the Ministry, to Spell Department Head Agnes Tuttleberry," Hermione said to the bird, who bobbed its head and flew out of the open kitchen window.

Hermione watched him go, then walked back into her room to change into nicer dress robes. She hadn't seen Professor Snape in years and wanted to reflect how successful her life turned out without his help. How despite being left to raise her son alone, she managed to make it. Mathias was a fine, bright boy as well, and skilled beyond his years in spells and potions. Hermione had done the best she could with Mathias and she believed he would go far with the right tutelage.

She sighed. Her son was a Slytherin and for the next seven years would be submerged in Slytherin philosophy. Mathias already had the Slytherin traits, otherwise he would not have been sorted into that house. He would also be under the influence of Severus, who was no one to idolize. True, he did courageous work for the Order, but as a man he was sadly lacking in character as far as Hermione was concerned. She didn't want him influencing Mathias.

Maybe she could talk to Albus first…see if she could get Mathias moved out of Slytherin house…maybe into Ravenclaw if not Gryffindor. Yes, first she would talk to the Headmaster. Maybe she would not have to see Severus at all.

Standing in front of the mirror, Hermione brushed her hair out until it fell in shining, soft curls down her back. She didn't wear makeup unless she was going to a function of some sort. She really didn't need it. Hermione wasn't a beautiful witch, but she was handsome enough and could still turn heads on occasion. Her love life was all right. She had been dating the same wizard for the past five years, an Auror named Justice Forall. His name was what got him noticed by Hermione. She had cracked up uncontrollably when Harry introduced her to the tall, blonde, brown-eyed wizard.

"Justice Forall?" Hermione grinned at the wizard, whose brown eyes twinkled back at the witch.

"Yes," he replied, "My father is John Forall. He's American and has quite a warped sense of humor. He gave me the kind of name that forces me to be rather fair-minded."

Hermione discovered this was very true about the wizard. He didn't blink an eye when over dinner on their first date she informed him she had a six-year old son out of wedlock, and his father wasn't in his life.

"Sounds to me," Justice said to the witch, "that the boy's father is a fool. You and a son? What wizard in his right mind would walk away from that combination? Whoever he is, he's crazy and doesn't deserve either of you."

Justice became Hermione's lover soon after that. He was rather surprised and delighted at the witch's inexperience. She explained the conditions under which she lost her virginity. Justice growled.

"What an utter bastard," he fumed. "You sure you don't want to give me his name? He's got something coming to him for that."

Hermione shook her head.

"No, I've got you Justice. I don't want you getting in any trouble. It's over," she said softly.

Justice looked down at the witch, and kissed her gently.

"Well, I consider myself your first, Hermione. Maybe I will be your last," he said in a low voice, his brown eyes meeting her amber ones. He was already lost to the witch.

Hermione didn't answer him. She didn't want to marry, not yet…if ever. She was used to running her own life, sharing it only with her son. A man in the picture would change that. So, although Justice wanted to marry the witch, she held him off.

Mathias didn't take to Justice well. The boy didn't like the Auror because he took part of his mother's attention away. It was bad enough Hermione had to work, then in the evenings spent most of her time home-schooling him. There was little time for real mother/son connection. Mathias would seethe anytime Justice kissed Hermione. Once he even cast a tripping spell on the wizard as he exited the house, causing him to fall on his face on the hard wooden porch. Mathias ran into his bedroom and eluded detection.

But the spell backfired on the young wizard, with Hermione bringing Justice back inside to treat his busted nose. One thing led to another and the Auror didn't leave until the next morning, having spent the night in his mother's bed, something else Mathias hated. Even he didn't get to sleep with his mother anymore. She told him he was getting too big.

Well, Justice was much bigger than he was, and he got to sleep with her sometimes. Quite often in fact. This disturbed Mathias so much that he confronted Hermione about it.

Sitting at the breakfast table one morning after Justice kissed his mother and ruffled Mathias' hair (which he hated) and left, the young wizard asked his mother, "How come Mr. Forall gets to sleep in your bed, mum? You said I was too big to sleep with you anymore, and Mr. Forall is much bigger than I am, but you let him in. Why is that?"

Hermione, standing at the sink turned and looked at her son. She turned rather red. Mathias' black eyes were leveled at her. His mum only turned that shade of red when really embarrassed about something.

"Why mum?" he pressed, wanting an answer. Did she like Mr. Forall more than him?

Hermione sat down across from her son, nervously rubbing her hands over each other. He was seven now. That seemed a bit young to tell him about sex.

"Mathias, you are my son and a big boy now. Big boys have their own rooms and beds," she began.

"Well, Mr. Forall has his own room and bed where he lives, but you let him sleep in yours," the little wizard argued.

"Mr. Forall doesn't sleep with me like you do, Mathias. We are adults. Adults sleep differently than children do," Hermione said reddening again. "He…he keeps me company."

"I can keep you company as good as he can," Mathias said, scowling and looking very much like Severus in this instance.

Hermione shook her head.

"No. I'm afraid you can't Mathias," Hermione said uncomfortably. "Sons don't keep mothers company that way. It's very complicated. I will have to tell you more about it when you're older. It has to do with sex."

Mathias radar went up. Sex? She had never mentioned anything about sex to him. Not even when home-schooling him. He thought she'd covered everything.

"Why when I'm older? You are teaching me spells and brews early. Why not sex?" he asked her, looking very suspicious.

"Because sex is different. You don't need to be thinking about things like that at only seven years old. Trust my judgment, Mathias," Hermione said evenly.

Mathias looked skeptical. She was hiding things from him. He didn't like that.

"Once I tell you, then you'll understand. But Mr. Forall sleeping in my bed doesn't mean I love him more than you. I love you more than anyone in this world," the witch said, "I just care for Mr. Forall differently. That's why he stays in my bed sometimes."

"Because of sex?" the wizard asked, wanting to be certain.

"Yes," Hermione said, reddening again.

Mathias looked at her thoughtfully.

"Ok mum, I'll wait for you to tell me," he said dismissively, returning to his cereal.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief.

Of course, Mathias didn't wait. His mum had a big library, and he searched through it until he found a book of biology that explained what sex was.

"Yuck!" was his only comment when he read the mechanics of it.

He thought a penis was something convenient to pee with. This revelation that it was used in another way was a bit disorienting. Well, at least that explained why every now and then his organ got uncomfortably hard. If sex was what his mum and Mr. Forall did, then they were welcome to the bed. Yuck.

But the idea of Mr. Forall putting his penis inside his mother disturbed Mathias, though he didn't understand why. It made him dislike the wizard even more. But he never brought up the bed issue with Hermione again.

Hermione took one more look at herself in the mirror, took a deep breath and apparated to the main gates of Hogwarts. She tried to unward the gates, but couldn't. There were new wards on it. She stared at the gates for a while, then got an idea and sent up sparks into the sky. Sparks were a universal call for help in the wizarding world.

Presently a gnarled, bent form walked slowly and painfully over a rise heading for the gates.

"Oh my gods, it's Filch," Hermione thought, amazed the old caretaker was still alive, much less working at Hogwarts. He seemed ancient when she was there.

The scraggly-haired, bad-tempered squib looked at her through the gates. His rheumy eyes widened in recognition.

"I know you," he said accusingly, "You're one of Potter's troublemaking bunch. You were out of here years ago. What do you want?"

Filch was not a very pleasant gatekeeper.

"Yes, I'm Hermione Granger, Mr. Filch. I'm here to speak to the Headmaster about my son," she said to the squib evenly.

Argus clapped his hand over his face.

"A son? You've got a son here. Oh Thanatos' gelded steeds. Another generation to deal with," he groaned, opening the gate. "Go on in then. Maybe you'll withdraw him."

Hermione couldn't help but grin at the squib's mortified reaction as she walked through the gate. Some things never changed.

"Thank you," she said to Argus, who grumbled back something unintelligible. Hermione was sure it wasn't "Your welcome."

Hermione started across the grounds.

She hoped Albus could help her.

* * *

Severus was in the shower, getting ready for his first day of teaching. He had just soaped his back and turned to rinse it off when he found himself face to face with the Bloody Baron. 

"Arrrgh!" the startled Potions Master exclaimed, dropping both soap and washcloth at the sight of the horrible ghost bobbing in front of him. He clutched his heart for a moment, catching his breath. Severus wasn't easily frightened but the apparition surprised him.

"Baron, what the hell are you doing in my shower?" he gasped at the ghost. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

The grim, bloodstained ghost bobbed for a moment longer, then spoke in a low hollow voice, his sightless eyes fixed on the Potions Master.

"I have a complaint, Professor," the ghost said, his face contorting and making him look even more horrible.

"A complaint?" Severus repeated. In all his years at Hogwarts the ghost had never come to him with any complaints. What did a ghost have to complain about?

"Yes, a complaint. Last night I visited the first year Slytherins as I do at the start of every term. The proper bedwetting and screaming occurred, and I was making quite an impact until I entered the last room. I floated over the beds of the first three first years, moaning and making faces as I am wont to do, and they all screamed and hid under their bedding. But when I came to the last student, he looked at me, then pulled out his wand and hit me with a spell!" the ghost said angrily.

"What kind of spell?" Severus asked, wondering what first year would have the presence of mind to defend himself against a ghost, rather than hide from it.

"I don't know," the ghost replied, "But it froze me and I dropped to the bed unable to move. Then the little curmudgeon rolled me off the bed to the floor and left me there, while he covered up and went to sleep. It took several hours for the spell to dissipate," the ghost complained. "I demand something be done about this mistreatment of my person, Professor."

Severus stared at the ghost. Not only had the first year cast a spell on the Baron, but tossed him to the floor and went to sleep. Whoever he was, he had balls, that was for certain.

"All right. I will see what I can do. What room and what bed?" the Professor asked the ghost. The Baron told him.

"Fine. Later today I will find out who occupies that bed," the wizard said to the ghost, "but I must remind you Baron, that you are a former Slytherin yourself, and you know the Slytherin philosophy concerning action and reaction. You terrorize the first years at the beginning of every term. For the first time one defends himself. You were the cause and that was the effect. We all have to pay for our actions if they in some way affect others negatively. You received a just reward, Baron. Do you really believe the wizard should be punished for defending himself against you?"

The ghost stared at him mutely, then without a word drifted through the wall and disappeared.

Severus picked up his washcloth and what was left of the soap. It had melted under the spray as he talked to the ghost. The Potions Master rinsed out the washcloth, put the soap in the tray, cut off the water and exited the shower. As he dried himself, he smirked.

It seemed he had a lion among the latest Slytherin sheep. He had to find out who it was.

* * *

The moment Mathias woke up, his roommates descended on him. 

"What did you do to the Bloody Baron?" one rather apelike Slytherin, Boyle Goyle asked him, impressed. "I saw you drop him and roll him on the floor! I'm Boyle."

The first year stuck out his hand to Mathias, who looked at it rather coldly before sitting up in his bed, eyeing the students. He didn't shake the wizard's hand.

"I'm Mathias," he said shortly.

"Wow. I'm Charles Bulstrode. Where'd you learn a spell like that?" a heavy-jawed, black-haired wizard with a uni-brow asked him, also offering his hand.

Mathias didn't take it.

"My mother taught it to me. She's a Spells Mistress," he replied, scowling a bit at all the attention and the questions.

"Cool," said the last roommate, Gerald Parkinson, who had a hard, pug-like look to his face. "Know any other spells?"

"A few," Mathias said, sliding out of the bed. He was only dressed in his boxers, whereas the other boys had on pajamas.

"That's how you sleep?" Boyle asked, looking at Mathias boxers. He and the other boys still wore cotton briefs.

Mathias looked at him.

"Actually, I like to sleep naked," he responded, pushing past the boys and heading for the bathroom.

"Naked?" Boyle said, looking at the other boys. "He might be a fruit."

Gerald looked after the thin, pale wizard.

"No, I don't think he is, but he's weird. Not too friendly," Gerald said.

"Well, I'm glad he's in here," said Charles, "At least we're ghost-proof with him around. He dropped that ghost like a rock cake."

Boyle glowered towards the bathroom.

"I don't like fruits," he growled. "I'm going to settle this right now."

Charles and Gerald looked at the burly first year. He was much heavier than Mathias.

"You saw what he did to that ghost, Boyle. I'd leave him alone," Gerald said a bit nervously.

Boyle looked at Mathias bed. His wand was sticking out from under the pillow.

"He doesn't have his wand with him," Boyle said, punching his fist into his palm.

Mathias exited the bathroom and walked back toward his bed, only to be blocked by Boyle. The pale wizard looked at him with narrow eyes for a moment, then tried to walk around him, but the bigger student blocked his path again.

"We don't want no naked sleeping fruits in our dorm," Boyle growled at him.

Mathias blinked at him and stepped back a little.

"Get out of my way," he said evenly.

"Why don't you try and make me, fruit?" Boyle said, smiling a little at the smaller wizard. Boyle was a bully, like his father.

"I can make you," Mathias said evenly, "But I don't want to. I'm here to learn, not fight."

"I'm here to learn, not fight," Boyle mimicked him, the other wizards laughing. They could smell blood, and thought it best to be on the winning wizard's side. Mathias looked at each of the boys. They all were assholes.

"Well, you're going to fight," Boyle said, taking a swing at Mathias' head.

The young wizard slipped the blow and retaliated, catching Boyle squarely in the nose. Blood gushed out of it. Then Mathias swept Boyle's legs out from under him, sending the wizard crashing to the floor, then dropped on top of his back, twisting his arm back painfully.

"Still want to fight?" Mathias asked the wizard through clenched teeth. He'd dislocate his shoulder if he had to.

Both Ron and Harry were Aurors for the Ministry and taught Mathias holds and moves since he was very young. He took to it naturally, and on occasion could even take his uncles down if he moved quickly enough, though he couldn't beat them. Yet.

"No. I give. Sorry," Boyle cried. Mathias released him.

The other two wizards looked at him incredulously.

Boyle stood up, blood running from his nose. Mathias looked at him, picked up his wand and flicked it at him, stopping the blood flow and cleaning his face at the same time. Boyle touched his nose.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," he said to Mathias, his eyes wide.

"It shouldn't. I fixed it," the wizard replied, then looked at Boyle consideringly. "You shouldn't pick on wizards smaller than you."

Boyle blinked at Mathias as he opened his wardrobe, his back turned to the bigger wizard without concern. Normally, Boyle would have hit him with a sneak attack, but somehow, he felt this wouldn't be wise. It wouldn't have been either.

Mathias removed a set of robes, a pair of socks and a hairbrush. He put on the robes over his boxers and fastened them.

"Aren't you going to wear your uniform?" Gerald asked him.

Mathias looked at him.

"Obviously not, since I am fastening up my robes," Mathias replied.

"Moron," he thought as he looked at Gerald.

When he finished fastening his robes, he sat on the bed and pulled his socks on. All three wizards were still staring at him. Irritated, he leveled his black eyes on them.

"Aren't you three going to breakfast?" he asked them. All three nodded at him.

"Then I suggest you stop staring at me and go get dressed," Mathias said coldly.

All three boys left and did as he said. Mathias scowled.

Gods, was this what it was going to be like all year? Maybe he would owl his mum and beg her to get him a private room. He could tell her about the fight…no…he couldn't. What happened in Slytherin stayed in Slytherin. He sighed.

Mathias pulled on his shoes, stood up and left his dorm room, heading down into the Slytherin common room. Students of all ages milled around, the first years clustered together as the older students teased them about the Bloody Baron.

"The first level smells like a piss pot," teased one fifth-year witch as she eyed the new witches.

"You should have heard all the screams coming from the first year male dorms. They sounded like a slew of terrified little girls," said a sixth year wizard, grinning evilly at the huddled males.

Mathias made to walk past the sixth-year, who stopped him by grabbing him by the shoulder.

"So, when you saw the Bloody Baron did you scream, wet yourself or both, firstie?" he asked Mathias, who shrugged the wizard's hand off his shoulder. The rest of the students in the common room oohed at this rare little display of first year aggression.

"I did neither. I hexed him and went to sleep," the boy replied.

The sixth year's eyes went wide as the room went silent in disbelief.

"No you didn't," the sixth year accused. "You pissed yourself! Like everyone else."

Mathias looked at him calmly.

"I have no reason to lie, but I really don't care if you believe me or not," he said, starting to walk toward the exit.

"Where do you think you're going, you little wise-ass?" the sixth-year said, walking after Mathias. "You're going to tell the truth."

The Potions Master was walking down the corridor and sped up when he heard the challenge. He stopped just outside the entrance to the common room listening.

"I don't have to prove anything to you," Mathias said, sliding his hand into his robes pocket and grasping his wand.

"He did hex the ghost!" Gerald cried, running down the stairs, "I saw him. He hexed the ghost, rolled him off his bed to the floor and went to sleep!"

The sixth year and the rest of the students looked at the wizard, then back at Mathias.

"Yeah," Boyle said, entering the common room behind Gerald, along with Charles who nodded enthusiastically. "We all saw him do it."

"I don't believe it," the sixth year seethed. "What spell did you use?"

Mathias was tired of this. He pulled out his wand.

"This one," he said, muttering something and flicking his wand at the wizard, who stiffened, turned rather blue and fell over.

Mathias strolled out of the common room as the shouting started. He saw Severus standing in the corridor, said "Good morning, Professor" and kept going. The first-year didn't even look guilty about what he'd done or as if he expected to get in trouble for it. The wizard had been asking for it after all.

Severus let the boy go, though he knew he should have stopped him. He would deal with it later. Right now he had to calm down the common room and restore the fallen student. So, it had been Mr. Granger who hexed the Bloody Baron, and now a fellow Slytherin. The boy hadn't been here a full day yet.

Severus couldn't help smirking a little.

Mathias was a snarky little bastard.

* * *

Mathias navigated the dungeon corridor, the only Slytherin student to do so, since everyone else was still in the common room. He walked into the main hall, looked around and followed the students of the other houses into the Great Hall. He was the first and only Slytherin there. 

Suddenly a roll hit him in the side of the head, followed by a burst of laughter. He turned, scowling to see James Potter and the rest of the Gryffindor house grinning at him.

"Figures you'd be sorted into Slytherin, Mathias. That house is full of bastards," James called to him.

Mathias clenched his fists and looked up at the Head Table to see how many staff members were present. Albus Dumbledore's eyes were resting on him. The Headmaster nodded to him. Mathias nodded back then headed for the Slytherin table, furious. He couldn't get James back now. But later he would.

Mathias took a seat, aware of a new round of laughter behind him. He ignored it and pulled a platter of bacon toward him, loading up his plate. He loved bacon.

"Aren't you going to leave some bacon for someone else?" a female voice said behind him.

Mathias turned and looked up into the face of Jasmine Malfoy. Her ice-blue eyes swept over him a moment, then she sat down next to him. Mathias looked at her. She had white-blonde hair and a rather pointed chin, with a small petulant mouth. She was pretty, though she looked like she had no eyebrows.

"My name's Jasmine," she said, offering Mathias a small pale hand and a smile.

This time, Mathias shook hands.

"I'm Mathias," he responded, now drawing a plate of scrambled eggs toward him.

"I know," Jasmine responded, "Everyone in Slytherin knows your name. And you haven't even been here a full day."

Mathias stopped spooning eggs on his plate and looked at her.

"You think that's a good thing?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"They say you're dangerous. That you beat up Boyle like he was a little baby…then you hexed that six-year," she said, impressed.

"I'm not dangerous. I just protect myself. That six-year was harassing me. Boyle attacked me. The ghost annoyed me," Mathias replied. "I need to let people know right off that I'm not a victim. If they try to treat me like one, then they'll get what they deserve."

"But first years are the low men on the totem pole. We're supposed to be picked on," Jasmine responded, filling her own plate with bacon as other Slytherins entered the Great Hall. "It's part of being new students."

"Not me. I came to Hogwarts to learn, not to be picked on. I don't care how new I am," Mathias replied, biting into a piece of bacon.

Jasmine studied the wizard calculatingly. He was cute, he could fight and already knew powerful spells. He hexed that horrible ghost too. The ability of witches of Jasmine's bloodline to quickly identify males of worth was inbred. It was what they did best next to spending galleons after all. Mathias was going to be someone special in Slytherin house, someone who it would be good to be close to in the years to come.

As the granddaughter of Lucius Malfoy, Jasmine had an eye for potentially powerful allies. Her father Draco was also a powerful man, one of the Ministry's leading Council members. She smiled at Mathias sweetly.

"So, what is your favorite subject?" Jasmine asked Mathias, trying to make small talk.

"Potions," Mathias said shortly.

"But, you're so good with spells," Jasmine said.

"My mum works with spells all the time. They're fine but not that challenging for me. I'd rather brew…creating a potion requires more skill and concentration, timing and focus. You're not always sure if it will work until the end. I enjoy the process," Mathias told her.

Jasmine was about to say something else when suddenly Boyle plummeted into the seat next to her. Gerald sat on the other side of Mathias, then all the chairs around them filled with first years, all of them staring at Mathias, who was chewing a mouthful of bacon. The chewing slowed as he realized he was the focus of so many rapt stares. He swallowed and scowled around him. Then he noticed the older Slytherins on the other side of the table whispering to each other and looking at him.

"You know, that sixth year had to be taken to the infirmary. Professor Snape couldn't lift the hex," Gerald said to the wizard.

"Of course he couldn't," Mathias said, "the spell is adapted to my signature. Only I can lift it, otherwise they have to wait for it to wear off."

Eyebrows rose and whispers went all around. How was this first year so powerful?

"His mum is a Spells Mistress," Charles informed the rest of the students, much to Mathias displeasure. The wizard didn't have to announce that to the whole school.

Severus entered the Main Hall, sat down at the teacher's table and ordered his breakfast. He looked down at his Slytherins and saw the first years clustered around Mathias, and the other students staring at him and whispering.

The boy looked quite annoyed at all the attention. The Potions Master looked at him thoughtfully. He couldn't break the hex on Mr. Hoyt and had to take him to Poppy, who couldn't break it either. He would have to approach Mr. Granger after breakfast and find out what the spell was and how to break it, if it could be broken. He studied the boy who was eating his breakfast under the watchful eyes of his housemates.

It was quite an accomplishment to cast a spell that was unbreakable by older, more experienced witches and wizards, especially at eleven years of age. But then again, he was Hermione's son. No doubt the witch over-educated the boy and he had an entire arsenal of spells at his disposal. He was probably quite smart as well. Hermione put a lot of truck in book learning, no doubt Mathias was a walking encyclopedia just like she was. Well, he'd find out in Potions class with a few questions. Hopefully the boy didn't have his mother's need to spout off everything he knew.

Mathias was getting very annoyed with everyone staring at him. Finally he exploded.

"Don't you all have something better to do than stare at me?" he asked them, "Like eating your breakfasts?"

He quickly rose from the table, and strode away, his housemates staring at him. He had his hand in his robes pocket where his wand was. The Professor watched the boy walk quickly toward the main doors. As he passed the Gryffindor table, Mathias said a short incantation and flicked his wand.

Every plate and glass on the Gryffindor table turned upside down, covering the students with food and drink. The shouting attracted the attention of the other staff members. Mathias didn't hesitate but walked quickly out the doors.

"Mathias did it! I know he did!" spluttered James Potter who got a faceful of pumpkin juice. His hair was soaked and stuck to his head as the liquid dripped off his face. "I'm going to get him."

Severus looked at the raging Gryffindor and recognized him as a Potter immediately. So, there appeared to be bad blood between him and Mathias. The Potions Master shook his head, staring at the closed double doors. He knew Mathias had hexed the Gryffindor table, but he did it in such a way no one could rightly claim he did it. The boy was a true Slytherin all right.

He'd talk to him right after breakfast.

As Mathias entered the main hall heading for Slytherin house, Hermione walked through the double doors. The wizard stopped and stared. His mum? Here? Why?

"Mum?" he said as Hermione walked into the hall.

She saw Mathias. Shit. She had wanted to be clandestine about this visit.

"Hi Mathias," she said, walking up to him and kissing him on the cheek.

Mathias looked around to see if anyone had seen her kiss him.

"Mum, don't do that. You'll make me look like a baby," he hissed at her.

Hermione smiled.

"But you are a baby. You're my baby," she said, ruffling his hair.

Mathis scowled at her and used his hands to try and straighten his hair.

"Mum, stop it," he said testily, "Why are you here?"

"I heard you were sorted into Slytherin," Hermione said, her amber eyes dark as she looked at her son as if looking for signs of contamination. "I…I think there may have been a mistake."

Mathias eyes narrowed.

"A mistake? Why do you say that?" he asked her.

"Because…you're too bright, too intelligent, too good to be in Slytherin," Hermione said.

"Mum, that's your view on it. The Sorting Hat said I belong in Slytherin, and I think it's right," the young wizard replied.

Severus walked up the teacher's corridor and heard voices. One was a familiar female voice. He eased forward and looked around the corner.

Hermione Granger. He hadn't seen her in years. The witch hadn't changed much physically and was dressed quite well. But she did have a mother's demeanor as she looked at her son. He listened.

"You don't belong in Slytherin," she said evenly, "I am going to talk to the Headmaster about changing your house."

Mathias stared at her incredulously.

"Changing my house? And put me where? In Gryffindor?" he asked her, frowning terribly.

"Yes…if that's possible. You'll like Gryffindor," she said.

Severus smirked. Hermione had no idea her son just covered the whole of Gryffindor house in their breakfasts.

"Mum. I've met them. They are all idiots. And James is in Gryffindor. Trust me, mum…I don't belong there," he said. "I won't go."

He looked at his mother mirroring the same stubborn expression she wore when adamant about something.

"How about Ravenclaw then?" she suggested.

"Why not Hufflepuff?" Mathias said sarcastically.

Hermione turned bright red.

"You have too much potential to be in Hufflepuff," she said.

Mathias looked at her sharply. Something was going on here.

"Why don't you want me in Slytherin, mum? I know it was Gryffindor's arch-nemesis, but so what? It's a good house, and has a cool Head of House. Professor Snape."

Hermione's eyes widened at her son's disturbing description of his estranged father.

Severus' eyebrows rose as well. The boy thought he was "cool?" He'd been called a lot of things in his time, but never "cool." "Cool" was a good thing, right?

"It shouldn't make a difference what house I'm in as long as I do well at school," Mathias continued, "Plus I like Slytherin House. I think I'll do better there than in any other house here at Hogwarts. I don't want to leave…but I would like a private room," he said.

Hermione blinked at him.

"A private room?" she asked him.

"Yes, you can let private rooms in Slytherin. It's the only house that has that luxury," he said, coining Severus' words. "My roommates are idiots. I'm going to end up hexing the bunch of them, mum, I know it."

Hermione stared at her son. He wanted to stay in Slytherin house. If she tried to force him into another, it might affect his marks, not to mention their relationship. Gone were the days she could just tell Mathias what to do. He was growing up now. He was only eleven, but he was a mature eleven.

The witch sighed. She was going to have to talk to Severus after all. And she dreaded it.

"How much for the private room?" she asked him. Maybe if he had his own room he would be less influenced by the other students. He'd have his own space and privacy. She remembered how much she enjoyed her own room when she made Head girl.

"I don't know. You'll have to talk to Professor Snape about it," Mathias replied, excited.

Hermione looked at her son. Students began to walk out of the Great Hall.

"There is he is!" a voice cried.

Both Hermione and Mathias turned around as James Potter charged toward them, a murderous look in his eyes as he barreled down on Mathias. Then he saw Hermione and skidded to a stop, mere feet from her son.

Mathias smirked at him and the rest of the Gryffindors who had been right behind them.

"Hi Aunt Hermione," the wizard said, cutting his eyes at Mathias, who stood there with his arms folded, a slight smirk on his face.

Hermione looked at James, her brow furrowed.

"James, were you just about to attack Mathias?" she asked him, her eyes washing over the scowling Gryffindors behind him, then looking at her son.

"Ah, no…no…I was just going to…er…say hi," James lied lamely.

Hermione looked at all the Gryffindors.

"You were ALL going to say hi?" she asked James.

"I wasn't. I was going to knock his block off," an angry male voice said from inside the crowd, which grumbled in agreement.

"And you want to send me to Gryffindor, mum?" Mathias asked her.

Hermione looked at the scowling Gryffindors again. It was obvious they were out for her son's blood. He'd never fit in there.

"No, Mathias…I think you're right. Gryffindor isn't for you. Come on, let's go find Professor Snape," she said, putting a protective arm over his shoulder and walking with him towards the dungeons."

James glared after them.

"Fine Mathias. Your mum saved you this time, but she won't always be around," he seethed, heading for the main stairwell as did the rest of the Gryffindors.

Severus drew out his wand and flicked it at James Potter. The boy fell on his face, several other students falling on top of him. The Potions Master then followed Hermione and Mathias down the corridor, walking quietly as usual.

"Why were those students after you, Mathias?" she asked him.

Mathias shrugged.

"Probably because I'm a Slytherin, mum. They hate Slytherins. I thought you said Gryffindors were brave and fair-minded. Did you see how many there were of them? Didn't seem too fair or brave to me," Mathias said. "If you weren't here they would have ganged up on me."

Hermione looked at her son.

"If I wasn't here, Mathias, you would have hexed all of them into next week," Hermione replied.

She knew what her son was capable of. He wouldn't hesitate to protect himself, even if it meant hexing an entire house of students. Mathias could do it too.

"They would have deserved it," the boy grumbled. "Idiots."

"Mathias, what have I told you about calling people names?" Hermione said, stopping and putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm just speaking the truth, mum. They act like idiots, believe me," he said sullenly, miffed his mother was chastising him for calling it as he saw it.

Hermione had no idea James had hit him in the head with a roll and insulted his parentage while the rest of the Gryffindors laughed, but Mathias was not about to tell her. He didn't want to upset her. She liked James. He was her best friend's son. His mother didn't have that many friends and Mathias didn't want to cause trouble between her and Harry.

Hermione figured they must have done something to him. He wouldn't tell her what though. Mathias was terribly closed-mouthed. Something he got from his father's side. Hermione sighed as she realized she was going to see Severus face to face for the first time in eleven years, and once again the topic was going to be their child…well, her child. The wizard had no claim to the boy as far as she was concerned. She was going to make sure that was understood. She wanted this secret kept at all costs.

They approached the Potions Master's office.

"I don't think he's here yet, mum. He was still at breakfast," Mathias said as they faced the door.

"I'll wait then. Don't you have a class to go to?" she asked her son.

"Yes, Charms," he replied with a bored expression. "But I already know everything. I looked over the syllabus. I'm going to be bored to tears."

"You might know everything, but you still need the marks, Mathias. So you do your best in that class anyway. Be attentive. Maybe you can do some extra credit work," his mother replied, knocking on the office door.

There was no answer.

"Mathias, you go and get ready for class. I'll wait for the Professor," Hermione said to her son, kissing his cheek.

"All right, mum. I'll see you on holiday," Mathias replied, giving her a very quick kiss in return and heading for Slytherin house.

Hermione watched her son disappear down the corridor, her brow slightly furrowed. Gods, what a mess this was. What was she going to do?

She stared at the Potions office door. Damn the wizard. Too bad he wasn't really dead.

Suddenly Hermione was aware of a presence behind her and spun around. She found herself standing inches from the Potions Master. Severus looked down at the witch, his black eyes glittering.

"Looking for me, Miss Granger?" he purred.

* * *

Hermione stared up at the wizard, unable to speak for a moment, meeting his dark eyes. She managed to recover. 

"Yes. Yes I was looking for you, Professor. We need to talk," she said.

Severus walked around her and opened his office door, gesturing for her to enter.

"I only have ten minutes before class, Miss Granger," he said.

Hermione looked at him.

"Ten minutes? I need more time than that," she exclaimed. "I want to talk to you about Mathias. He's been sorted into your house."

Severus nodded. "Yes he has and in less than twenty-four hours he has hexed a ghost, beat up a roommate, hexed a student so badly that I can't lift it, then hexed the entire house of Gryffindor, causing them to wear their breakfasts."

"What?" Hermione said, aghast walking into the Potions Master's office and sitting down in the chair in front of his desk dazedly.

Severus swooped in behind her closing the door and slipped behind his desk. His dark eyes swept over the witch. There was something about Hermione that brought out the darker, lustier side of the wizard when she became the age of consent. Her fantasies about him.

The Potions Master had been aware of her seventh year crush on him but never got around to shagging her until two years later, when he met her at the Three Broomsticks. The witch was intelligent, mouthy and quite pretty in her way. It was her innocence too, that attracted him. She still had it, that innocence, the night he finally did take her.

Initially, it really hadn't been Severus' plan to take advantage of the witch. It was her fault as far as he could see. Once Hermione got a couple of daiquiris in her, her tongue loosened and she started talking about the crush she used to have on him, and confided she had sexual fantasies about him, even after she had left Hogwarts.

She looked at him so hotly, the wizard couldn't help but ask her if she wanted those fantasies fulfilled, and she said she did. Severus didn't have many opportunities to shag young women who weren't whores or deatheaters after all. Especially young women who were sincerely attracted to him as Hermione was. The Potions Master knew that the witch would have never consented if she hadn't been drunk, but an opportunity was an opportunity. So he booked a room and took her there. The wizard had been quite surprised she was a virgin, but he shagged her just the same. And Hermione liked it. A lot. She was very willing, very passionate.

The next morning Hermione woke up and responded with horror at what they'd done, having no memory of how good it was. So Severus left her to her horror. He wasn't about to apologize. Then three months later she came to him, telling him she was pregnant. Well, it was her choice to keep the child or get rid of it. He didn't want to be a father. He couldn't afford to be. Not while in the Dark Lord's service.

"You've done some job raising him," the Potions Master commented.

Hermione's eyes focused and she scowled at the wizard.

"I did a damn good job raising him," she declared. "If Mathias hexed someone, or fought someone you can be sure they deserved it. He's not a mean boy. If he had been in Gryffindor, none of this would have happened."

"He's a Slytherin, Hermione. He belongs in my house," Severus said, reverting to her given name, his dark eyes resting on her.

"He may belong in this house, Severus," Hermione said evenly, "but he doesn't belong to you. I don't want you to tell him who you are and I don't want you exerting your influence over him. You are a poor example of a man. I don't want him to be anything like you."

Severus thought Hermione was purposely blinding herself to how much like him the boy was already, without his influence.

"What did you tell him about his father?" the wizard asked her.

"That he was dead," she replied, her eyes shifting slightly at the admission she'd lied to her son.

"You told him his father was dead? A lie, Hermione? What happened to those Gryffindor values of truthfulness and honesty?" the Professor said with a sneer.

"I suppose it would have been better to tell Mathias his mother got drunk and slept with a pig of a wizard who wanted nothing to do with him and let him know his mother was a whore and his dad a deadbeat? I'm wasn't about to do that," Hermione said.

Severus looked at her.

"You weren't a whore, Hermione. You were a repressed little witch who had the hots for her ex-professor and wanted to fulfill a fantasy. Whores shag often and for money. I don't think you follow that practice…or do you?" he said silkily.

"Of course I don't," she snapped, "But you knew I was drunk, Severus. You didn't have to do it."

His eyes flicked over her hotly for a moment.

"Oh, but I did," he responded. "I wasn't about to pass you up, witch. I saw a couple of those little fantasies you had playing about in your head in your seventh year. They were quite alluring."

Hermione flushed horribly as she remembered how bad she had it for the Professor. He had seen her fantasies? Oh gods. No wonder he shagged her.

"All right, so you felt justified shagging me. But you took no responsibility for the product of that night. For Mathias," she said.

"If I had taken responsibility, it is more than likely all three of us would be dead today, Hermione," the wizard said. "Voldemort would have taken you at the first opportunity and probably cut the child from your womb. Then he would have castrated, tortured and killed me. Is that what you wanted?"

Hermione stared at him stupidly. Severus looked at the clock. He had two minutes to get to class.

"Listen, meet me at the Three Broomsticks tonight at seven. We can talk about this then," he said rising.

"The Three Broomsticks?" Hermione repeated as the wizard walked around the desk and took her by her arm, helped her up from the chair, and walked her to his office door. He opened it and pushed her out.

"Yes, the Three Broomsticks at seven," he said, his eyes glinting at her, "and I won't buy you daiquiris this time…unless you really want me to."

Severus smirked at the witch, then closed and warded his door.

Hermione stared at the door in disbelief. The audacity of the wizard…to imply that she'd want a repeat of the last time they were at the Three Broomsticks. She couldn't even remember what happened that night.

So she had to meet him at seven. Hermione thought a moment, then clapped her hand to her head. She was supposed to spend "quality" time with Justice tonight. They were supposed to have a romantic dinner and then…damn.

She'd have to break the date. The Auror would be disappointed. This was the third dinner date she'd broken with him. With all the excitement of Mathias going to Hogwarts, she didn't feel up to seeing the wizard. She'd talk to him when she arrived at the Ministry and tell him she had an important meeting tonight. She didn't want to tell him what the meeting was about, or with whom.

Justice didn't like the way Severus had treated her. If he knew who the wizard was, there could be trouble. She'd just have to hide the nature of the meeting from the Auror. Another lie.

Hermione began to walk up the hall. She had to get to work.

* * *

In Charms class, Mathias immediately caught Professor Flitwick's attention. His last name was Granger, not a common one. 

"Would your mother be the Spells Mistress, Hermione Granger?" he asked Mathias as he called the roll.

"Yes sir," Mathias replied, hating the tiny wizard had asked him this in front of the other students. He didn't want everyone to know.

"Your mother was quite a student, Mr. Granger. Hopefully you will show an equal aptitude," Professor Flitwick said with a smile before continuing the roll.

It was a Gryffindor/Slytherin class. The first year Gryffindors all looked at him with narrowed eyes. Now they were certain he had cast a spell on them this morning. James drew his finger across his throat and scowled at Mathias, who arched an eyebrow at him.

"Anytime, Potter," he mouthed at the boy, who turned red with rage.

"Ah, James Potter. You're Harry Potter's son, aren't you?" the Professor asked the wizard.

"Yes, sir!" James replied, swelling with pride as everyone looked at him.

Mathias wished he had a sharp dart to puncture the git with. Always cashing in on his father's name. What an ass.

"Your father was also quite good with spells and charms, Mr. Potter. I expect to see good things from you in this class," the little wizard said.

"Yes sir," James beamed at him.

Mathias thought he might throw up at James' sucking up.

Professor Flitwick passed around parchments and quills. He then asked the students to list all the spells they knew. Mathias groaned. He knew over seventy spells. If he told Professor Flitwick that, then most likely the wizard would use him like some kind of poster boy for spells, making him demonstrate them for his classmates, turning him into some kind of know-it-all. Mathias despised know-it-alls and wasn't about to be turned into one just because he knew more spells than most first years. Actually, he knew more spells than most wizards period.

Mathias didn't want all that attention.

So when he filled out the parchment, he listed five of the most simple, low-level spells he knew. That was it. He passed it forward.

Professor Flitwick read over the parchments, pausing over Mathias' paper. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the young wizard. Mathias looked back at him steadily.

Professor Flitwick knew Hermione quite well. He also knew Mathias was home-schooled because the teachers were given a copy of the student's educational background before accepting them in class. There was no way Hermione Granger, a Spells Mistress and over-achiever would neglect the boy's education when it came to spells. The boy was purposely hiding what he knew. He had to be.

Well, it wasn't Flitwick's job to find out what Mathias knew, just teach him the basics of charms and spells his first year. More than likely it would be like pre-school for the wizard.

Flitwick sighed. A shame really. He could have used the young wizard to demonstrate spells in class. The diminutive Professor thought it was better when another student showed his classmates how a spell was cast. He had no idea that other students found it annoying or that it caused jealousy. Like most adults, he didn't have a clue.

Mathias knew that Professor Flitwick suspected he knew more than he was admitting. But he was under no obligation to share all of his knowledge. He was just a first year after all, and that offered him some protection. Mathias was fast learning how to manipulate the system to protect himself. He had no intention on becoming teacher's pet like his mum. Harry and Ron had told him all about it.

His mum had been a real terror. How did anyone stand her? Mathias had a feeling that he and his mother would not have gotten along if they had been contemporaries. He probably would have hexed her a few times for being an irritating know-it-all.

Soon Charms class was over and the students headed for their next class.

Mathias couldn't wait.

His next class was Potions.

* * *

Hermione was furious as she headed for the Ministry. Severus had done exactly what she thought he would do, hide behind the fact that he was a double agent. Being a double agent wouldn't have stopped the wizard from providing at least financial support. He could have kept Mathias a secret. Gods knew he kept so many other secrets from Voldemort, such as he was a member of the Order, and that was a biggie. 

For the past twelve years, Voldemort's activities had slowly become less aggressive, as far as the wizarding world was concerned. The Dark Lord was still out there, and on occasion there was a targeted deatheater attack on an individual here and there, but there were few mass attacks. Muggles still came up missing however, but the dark wizard was decidedly quieter on the home front.

The Ministry now had a policy that muggles were not their concern and did not make a great effort to find out if they were magically abducted. This had a lot to do with changes Draco had championed and pushed through the Ministry. The wizard cited that trying to track down errant muggles was a large and unnecessary expenditure of funds. Muggles had their own police and detective forces. Why waste the taxpayers' galleon on a group that contributed next to nothing to the wizarding world as a whole?

The policy was quickly passed. One thing council members knew voters liked were policies that saved galleons. And happy voters were more likely to keep them in their comfortable positions.

Draco had also managed to repeal the decades old law that wearing a Dark Mark was a crime. He claimed it was unfair to condemn an individual for their beliefs. Simply because a wizard or witch believed that Purebloods should hold all the power was not proof they were involved in illegal activities. He made the Dark Mark a symbol of a different philosophy rather than a sign of loyalty to Voldemort. He equated the arresting of those wearing the Dark Mark to arresting cross-wearing muggle Christians because of the deeds of the Spanish Inquisition centuries ago. Just because a wizard wore the Mark, it didn't prove he had broken any law.

It took Draco several years to get this "Dark Mark" law repealed, but he finally managed to do so, causing the release of hundreds of deatheaters from Azkaban. It was quite a victory for the Dark Lord. His ranks swelled because of this, and the despot held Draco in very high esteem. Voldemort's rise to power had taken a decided turn. It wasn't that the wizard became mellower in the ensuing years, but had developed another plan of attack. Infiltration, Politics and Legal Recruitment.

Through the popular vote, the Dark Lord had loyal deatheaters situated on the board almost every magical decision-making body in existence, all of whom worked tirelessly toward making the wizarding world more tolerant of the his core beliefs of Pureblood superiority. Voldemort himself remained in the background. He was only seen by those who took the Mark, and was highly glamoured to be more physically appealing. He was still in hiding, though he had a growing number of supporters. He was still vicious as well.

A newspaper called "The Voice of V" had been in existence for the past decade. Under the guise of "Protecting the Pearls of the Wizarding World," this periodical wrote inflammatory articles and columns promoting and supporting Voldemort's views.

The circulation of this newspaper had increased over the years, and it was quite a popular periodical. It was full of conspiracy theories, and supported the view that Voldemort was the voice of the future and his 'exile' and his record of violence were all the result of the Ministry working to keep him out of power. It also condemned miscegenation and the mixing of true wizards and witches with muggles and muggle-borns, calling those who did mix, "Enemies of the Wizarding World."

A number of ridiculous claims made by the paper were given serious consideration by a surprising amount of people, such as most of the deatheater attacks, including the one on Harry Potter's family years ago were actually the work of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, whose members dressed up as deatheaters and committed atrocities to turn the public against the Dark Lord.

What was worse, since wearing the Dark Mark was no longer a crime, a legal organization for deatheaters and those who supported them was formed, known as the DKV or the Dark Knights of Valor. They were give a charter and allowed to assemble and recruit publicly and privately. Order Members called them the "Dark Knights of Voldemort"

Witches and wizards were openly invited to join the ranks of the DKV through newspaper advertisements, billboards, open houses and other forms of advertising. Deatheaters even stood on corners handing out pamphlets inviting Purebloods and even Halfbloods (who met certain requirements) tired of being relegated into a position of second-class citizenship to attend meetings.

This recruitment had become so acceptable that from time to time even the Prophet ran full-page ads inviting purebloods to attend meetings. Ads such as the following:

* * *

JOIN THE DKV AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

_**"Protect the Pearls of the Wizarding World!"**_

There comes a time in the life of every man and woman when he or she has to choose between the right and wrong side of life. Today many alien forces are entering the Wizarding World bent upon its destruction and our current administration is turning a blind eye. Our traditions and our way of life are being compromised. A brotherhood among Purebloods must be revived in the Wizarding World in order to save it from the threat pouring over our borders, filling our schools, taking our jobs, overrunning our establishments and destroying our traditions.

**JOIN the DKV Today!**

The Dark Knights of Valor is composed of Pureblood/Halfblood citizens who are of sound of mind and good moral character.

The Dark Knights of Valor is a legal organization and no one can be prosecuted for being a member and professing their beliefs.

The Dark Knights of Valor is a fraternal and benevolent organization.

The Dark Knights of Valor is a politically independent organization, and is not pledged to any political party.

The Dark Knights of Valor is a Pro-Pureblood organization that opposes any thing, person or organization that is Anti-Pureblood.  
  
The goals of the DKV are as follows: 

 The total segregation of the magical and non-magical races.  
 Restoration of power to those intended to wield it.  
 Border control.  
 The total destruction of magical miscegenation in all its forms.  
 To secure Pureblood Rights and complete Wizarding Sovereignty.

The DKV needs you today to help fight the Wizarding World's battles. The next meeting will be held at…

Halfblood wizards and witches must meet certain requirements before considered for membership

* * *

"Heritage, not Hate!" was the DKV's answer to those who called them a hate group. Their membership was in the thousands. 

Dumbledore and the Order were hard put to fight against this type of attack. Since Voldemort's ranks now took on the appearance of hard-working honest purebloods out to secure a better world for themselves and their children, it was difficult to keep the public aware of the danger the Dark Lord posed. Dumbledore was certain that the despot would make a move soon to overthrow the Ministry as soon as he had enough followers in place. It was estimated that forty-five percent of government officials were members of the DKV. Although that figure was a little less than half, all of the members were actively working toward Voldemort eventually coming into power, and weren't lax like the other fifty-five percent of stuffed shirts that occupied seats.

Harry Potter's perceived role of being the potential destroyer of Voldemort had lost its fire in the eyes of many. Voldemort was now seen as someone who was targeted by the Administration, someone persecuted, and someone who deserved a chance to show the wizarding world a better way through fair elections. Plus, Harry lived a rather normal life, seeming to now be off of Voldemort's radar, though Severus warned the Headmaster this was not the case.

Albus watched the going-ons with a heavy heart. It was like the rising of the Third Reich. Even his students had clashes over this, his Slytherins and even some Ravenclaws wearing Dark Mark tattoos in support of the Dark Lord. No Gryffindor would ever don a Dark Mark tattoo, and Hufflepuffs just weren't that interested in politics.

Hermione had a point about the Potions Master's lack of financial support, but she didn't understand how Voldemort worked. When a wizard or witch took the Mark, they were required to pay a monthly tribute to the Dark Lord, based on their income. Voldemort had a slew of accountants among his ranks that kept close watch on the finances of his deatheaters as well as their spending patterns, and they basically had to make an account of every unusual expenditure.

The Dark Lord also had allies that worked in Gringotts who watched his follower's assets and reported every new or secret account opened. The Dark Lord needed money like everyone else, and took it from his loyal servants. The accountants were quite thorough, since their continued existence depended on their accuracy. Severus paying child support would have been discovered and all would have been revealed when they hauled Hermione in as the recipient of those funds.

When Severus initially turned Hermione away, he made no mention of the Dark Lord as a reason for it. He made no attempt to make the witch understand the danger having a child would involve, and he did this purposely. Severus didn't want her to believe he was denying the child to be noble or to protect her. That would still be a connection. He wanted no connections and was quite serious when he told her to get rid of the child.

The Potions Master was harsh and cold so she would not ever come to him under any circumstances concerning the child. Even if he could have sent support, it would have still sent the witch the message she could come to him when in need. She couldn't.

Actually, Severus knew it was his fault Hermione got pregnant. He was so anxious to get at her that he didn't cast a contraceptive spell upon discovering she was a virgin. The Potions Master was too caught up and delighted at being the first wizard to touch her and dove right into the witch. Of course he turned it around when Hermione confronted him, blaming her for the pregnancy and making her even more unlikely to contact him.

Severus witnessed the slaughter of those who practiced magical miscegenation in Voldemort's throne room. Children, mothers and fathers were killed in horrible ways, the parents forced to watch their children torn apart first, then the pureblood/halfblood forced to watch the murder of their partner, then being horribly tortured and killed themselves. These killings were considered the high points of the Revels now, and it sickened Severus. Despite outward appearances, Voldemort was as evil and despicable as he always was. Only the deatheaters of his inner circle, those brought in knowing what the Dark Lord's true nature was years ago, were allowed at these occasions.

Another horrible improvement in Voldemort's plan was the nature of the newer Dark Marks. He had acquired the fealty of a rather gifted Spells Master, who added something extra to the Mark which could be invoked en mass when Voldemort was ready. A spell similar to the Imperious curse. At any given time, Voldemort could invoke this spell and turned the thousands of political deatheaters he acquired into mindless killing machines.

Severus informed the Order of this at once, and Dumbledore did what he could, bringing in newly recruited deatheaters and examining the Mark, but he could find no proof of it. Yet Severus saw it used on a deatheater who had fathered a bastard child with a muggle woman. The wizard killed both woman and child with a sword, hacking them to pieces when Voldemort invoked his Mark. The wizard was crying as he did so, fully aware he was killing the people he loved. To his credit, the deatheater died charging the Dark Lord, intent on impaling the red-eyed fucker on his bloody sword.

Unfortunately, there was no way to prove the terrible spell existed. Hermione herself worked on it, to no avail. She could find no signature, no magical thread…nothing. Whoever had designed the spell had done an amazing job of it, fully intending that it be undetectable by other Spells Masters or Mistresses. No one would ever find out his name, however. Voldemort killed the wizard as soon as the spell was perfected.

Yes, the mechanization of Voldemort's evil plans had become more complicated, more insidious.

The wizarding world was now in more danger than it had ever been before. Albus was beginning to move away from the Prophecy. He was fighting a new kind of battle now, one that Voldemort appeared to be winning.

But as long as there was life, there was hope.

* * *

Severus paused outside of his first year Potions class and collected himself. He could hear the students chattering excitedly. The Professor took a deep breath, then strode into the room, his voice booming. 

"You will be silent. You will face forward. You will hang on to my every word as if hanging on a precipice for dear life!" he said, striding up to the front of the classroom and stopping in front of his desk, his robes billowing.

Every student in the class stared at the pale wizard in shock and awe as he did his yearly speech.

"My name is Professor Severus Snape, and this is first year Potions. There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who possess, the predisposition... I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death.

Mathias stared in rapt attention at his head of house, completely gassed. Although he had a very through knowledge of Potions ingredients and recipes for quite a few potions, he'd had little opportunity to actually brew them. Professor Snape was going to open a whole new world of learning for him. Out of all the classes at Hogwarts, this was the one the young wizard truly wanted to be in.

The Professor walked around his desk, lifted a piece of parchment and looked at the class imperiously.

"As I call out your name, please answer loudly and clearly with the word 'Here," he said to the class. He began to call out names, and the first years responded accordingly.

"Boyle Goyle?" the Professor thought, shaking his head slightly as he looked at the latest ape-like incarnation of the Goyle line. "Only his idiot father would come up with a name like that."

As he went down the list, he called out Mathias' name.

"Mathias Granger?" he said.

"Here," Mathias answered, looking at the wizard soberly.

Severus studied him. The young wizard was seated in the third row on the aisle seat. No front-row-and- center eagerness in this Granger. Thank the gods.

"Mr. Granger, is your mother one Hermione Granger?" he asked the boy.

Mathias frowned at bit. His mother had talked to the Professor this morning he was sure. The wizard already knew Hermione was his mother. What was he playing at?

"Yes sir," Mathias said in a low voice.

Severus looked at him, his eyes glittering unpleasantly.

"Your mother, Mr. Granger, was an intelligent, yet annoying pupil who felt the need to regal the class with the great depth and scope of her knowledge. She was well read and in her early years the overflow of facts, figures pouring from her brain had the unfortunate consequence of causing her to talk more and listen less in my class. And in order to learn effectively and correctly, one must listen. Book knowledge isn't everything. Application has to be taught."

"I am hoping, Mr. Granger that in your case, this aggravating inclination of your mother to spout facts as if from a broken spigot has skipped a generation and your ears are bigger than your mouth," the Professor said, staring the boy down and waiting for a reaction.

Mathias stared back at the wizard evenly, a slight glitter in his own black eyes at being singled out and his mother's shortcomings made known to the entire class. But he kept his face carefully neutral and simply said "Yes, sir," as a few Gryffindors snickered.

Severus looked at him a moment more, then continued on with the roll.

"Jasmine Malfoy?" he called, his eyes falling directly on the little blond witch, who waved at him with a bright smile.

"Hello Professor Snape. We so enjoyed your company at our little get-together at the Manor last month," she said sweetly.

Severus sighed inwardly. Another Malfoy. In one sentence the witch had managed to let the entire class know that she was familiar with him on a personal level, associated with him and was quite rich. He had to be careful with the granddaughter of Lucius Malfoy. She would cry to her grandfather if so much as a hair were mussed out of place.

"Thank you, Miss Malfoy," he replied as the girl looked around the classroom smugly.

Suddenly Severus' eyes widened and he quickly scanned the class until his eyes fell on a round-eyed, rather chubby young Gryffindor witch who looked like she wanted to flee the class.

"Edwina Longbottom?" he called out. Sure enough the witch responded in a quaking voice.

"Here," she piped, raising her hand slightly, then lowering it quickly.

With a bit of dread in his heart, Severus asked, "Are you the daughter of Neville Longbottom?"

"No sir. Neville's my uncle, sir," the girl replied. "My father is Jeffrey Longbottom."

Severus looked at the girl.

"I remember no Jeffrey Longbottom at Hogwarts," he said.

"No sir, you wouldn't. He was raised in America, sir," the witch responded nervously. "With an aunt."

Severus studied the witch for a moment.

"I see. Well, let us hope Miss Longbottom, that your uncle's gift for causing destruction when brewing even the simplest potion has not passed on to the rest of the family," he said.

"Yes sir," the witch replied, reddening, clearly embarrassed as the Slytherins chuckled at her. Except Mathias. He knew how she felt.

The Potions Master continued calling roll, making comments here and there as he did so. Finally he came to a name he loathed.

"James Potter," he said with an edge to his voice as the green-eyed auburn-haired wizard answered him.

"Here, sir," the boy said boldly.

James knew about Professor Snape and how he hated all things Potter. He looked at the wizard a bit insolently. Professor Snape's eyes swept over the boy, dislike apparent in them. He reminded him of the James Potter of his day in the way he carried himself.

"I hope, Mr. Potter that you are not like your father or grandfather, both of whom were swollen-headed, rule-breaking show-offs who would do anything for attention. A sad pair, the both of them. I doubt however if that particular mold has been broken," Severus said to the wizard with a sneer. "Suffice it to say, Mr. Potter…I will have my eye on you."

Both of Mathias' eyebrows went up.

The Professor didn't like James because of his dad and granddad. He bet that took some wind out of James' sails. The boy was used to everyone admiring him because of his parentage, but here was a wizard that loathed him for it. Mathias eyed Severus with a look of appreciation, the teacher's previous snafu, forgiven. Anyone who hated James Potter was a definite ally in Mathias' tome.

James looked mutinous, his face set in a stubborn little scowl.

Severus cocked his head at him.

"Are you…scowling at me, Mr. Potter? Ten points from Gryffindor," the Potions Master said silkily, "I suggest you fix your face to a more acceptable set or you will lose another ten points for your house. Am I making myself clear, Mr. Potter? I expect an answer this time."

James set his face to neutral though his eyes blazed angrily.

"Yes sir," he replied, his voice a little raw.

Mathias was going to hang a picture of the Professor in his room as soon as he could get hold of one.

Severus finished taking the roll, checked off all the names and put the attendance parchment in his drawer. Then he stood up and walked from behind his desk. He clasped his hands behind his back and stared at the students until most were quite uncomfortable. Finally he addressed them.

"In this class you can count on assignments every night, including weekends and over the holidays," he said, smirking a little as the customary groans went up.

"You may think this excessive, but brewing potions is a dangerous art. You must learn among other things, what ingredients and bases can and cannot be mixed, what materials cannot be over or under heated, what is deadly and what is not. This requires study. If you are lax in your studies you can greatly injure yourselves and others. So doing your work is important," he said.

"In addition, I am a wizard who believes in pop quizzes and written tests. You will have no multiple-choice exams in this class. I am not willing to take the chance that you have passed because of the luck of the draw and then set you in front of a heated cauldron. All questions on my tests require complete answers written in legible, correctly punctuated sentences. I give no partial credit. Either an answer is right or it is wrong.'

"There will be no horseplay at all in this class. I am swift to deduct points and assign very unpleasant detentions. In addition, any intercepted notes will be read to the class, so I suggest you share your little messages before and after my class. If you get a detention from me, you can be quite sure it will not consist of you sitting at a desk writing lines. More than likely you will be out on the grounds shoveling dragon dung with our caretaker, Argus Filch. I assure you that you will be doing most of the work as Argus is up in years and utilizes student labor to the fullest.'

Severus began to pace.

"All right. We have come to the most disappointing part of the first day, where I have to see just how many of you have the slightest idea about anything remotely connected with Potions," he said.

His eyes fell directly on Mathias, and the young wizard knew he was being targeted.

"Mr. Granger," Severus purred, "what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?

Mathias' eyes shifted a moment, then he shrugged and said, "I don't know, sir."

Severus knew the boy was lying. His mother's eyes shifted the same way when she was telling an untruth. He scowled at the wizard.

"Mr. Granger, I know I said your mother was an annoying student. I don't want you to interpret that statement as my saying knowledge is bad, because it isn't. It is to be pursued and absorbed. There is a difference between spouting off like a know-it-all and answering a simple question. You are not to hide your knowledge if you know a correct answer to a direct question. Never, ever dumb yourself down, Mr. Granger. You do yourself and others a grave injustice when you do so. Now, once again… what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" the Professor asked him again.

Mathias looked at him. Okay, he wanted knowledge, he would give him knowledge.

"There is no difference, sir. Wolfsbane and Monkshood are the same poisonous plant. It is also called Aconite. The reason that the plant is called Monkshood is because the flower resembles a monk's cowl," the boy said, his black eyes hard.

Severus looked at him. Gods, the boy was just like his mother.

"That was a bit more information than I asked for, Mr. Granger, but acceptable. Next time a simpler answer will suffice," he said. "Never offer more than you are asked for. In anything."

"Yes, sir," the young wizard replied, sighing inwardly.

Severus continued to question the class until the end of the lesson period. As usual, their overall knowledge was deplorable. The Potions Master was starting from scratch. He walked up to the blackboard and wrote the night's reading assignment, to be followed by a summation.

"When you enter class tomorrow, you will place your parchments on my desk and take your same seats. If you are late that is an instant five point deduction. If you are late more than twice in the same week, it is an instant detention with Filch. You must arrive before the bell. During the bell counts as lateness. Now you are dismissed," Severus said, watching as the first years hastily gathered up their tomes and backpacks, hustling from the room.

Mathias slowly and meticulously put his books away before rising. Severus' eyes fell on him.

"Not you, Mr. Granger," he said to the boy who turned to him.

"It's about the sixth-year, isn't it sir?" Mathias asked the Potions Master.

Severus nodded at him.

"Only I can remove the spell sir. Otherwise it takes six to eight hours to wear off," Mathias informed him.

Severus noticed the boy made no attempt at making either excuses or apologies for hexing the boy. Apparently, he had none.

"Only you can remove it? How is that, Mr. Granger?" Severus asked him.

Mathias decided to tell the truth.

"I've adapted all my spells to my signature only on purpose, so they'll stick better when I use them," he said.

Severus stared at him.

"That's illegal. You have to be a certified Spells Master to do that kind of spell work," the wizard said with an eyebrow arched. It took great skill to place a signature on a spell. How bright was this boy?

"I know," Mathias replied. "But I haven't been caught, sir. Unless you are going to tell."

Severus could tell Mathias was making a thinly veiled reference to his rule breaking not being yet being discovered. According to Slytherin philosophy, he would only be punished if he were caught. Was his own head of house going to turn him in?

"How did you learn to do this?" the Potions Master asked Mathias.

"Watching my mother do spell work at home. After a while I caught on. She doesn't know. I never use my signature when I cast spells around her. She'd have heart failure," the boy said.

Severus fought back a laugh. He could only imagine Hermione's reaction to her son purposely breaking the law. He cocked his head at the boy.

"Well, I'm not going to report you Mathias. What happened, happened in Slytherin house. We settle our own issues in-house as much as possible. But I do need you to come to the infirmary and release Mr. Hoyt from the hex," Severus said.

"Yes, sir," Mathias replied, hoisting his backpack on one shoulder, just as his mother used to do.

Severus strode from the classroom, followed by Mathias. He warded the door and both walked up the dungeon corridor side by side. Severus could have used the floo, but he wanted to talk to the boy as they walked.

"Professor?" Mathis said, looking up at the tall, pale wizard.

"Yes, Mr. Granger," Severus said looking down at him.

"What will my punishment be? For hexing the sixth-year?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

Severus considered this.

"What do you think it should be, Mr. Granger, and why?" he responded.

Mathias didn't hesitate.

"I don't think I should be punished. The sixth-year called me a liar and was harassing me, demanding information he had no right to. He was about to get physical as well. He needed to be hexed. Just because I am a first year is no reason to harass me. He got what he deserved," the young wizard said, looking up at the Professor soberly.

Severus turned his head, his lip quirking a bit. The boy certainly had no problem justifying his actions. He was not apologetic at all. Mathias did what he felt he had to do. Just like Severus would have done in the same situation.

"I believe you are right, Mr. Granger," Severus said. "You will not be punished. We must do what we must to protect ourselves at all times. Yet we must be careful about it. Outside of Slytherin I suggest if you use a spell you do not put your signature on it. It will draw attention to you."

"Yes sir," Mathias said, beaming at the dour wizard. He had just been given carte blanche to hex others…but carefully.

Professor Snape was very, very cool.

Together, the two wizards entered the main hall and walked up the main stairwell toward the infirmary.

Severus had to make an effort not to look at the young wizard walking beside him too much.

He certainly was a fascinating boy.

* * *

When Severus escorted Mathias into the infirmary, Poppy met them by her office. She looked down at Mathias and smiled kindly. 

"And who is this fine young wizard?" she asked Severus, smiling down at the boy.

"This is Mathias Granger. He is the young man who hexed Mr. Hoyt," Severus responded, looking at Mathias with an arched eyebrow. "Mathias, this is Madame Pomfrey, the school medi-witch."

"A pleasure to meet you, Madame Pomfrey," Mathias said politely with a little bow.

Hmmm. Apparently Hermione taught him manners as well.

Poppy looked at the young wizard rather sternly, but it was plain to see his politeness had a positive effect on her.

The medi-witch noted that the boy had the Granger last name. If he was Hermione's son, then he must not have a father, since he had his mother's surname. She was curious about that.

"I'm not sure how much of a pleasure it is, Mr. Granger, considering the reason you are here. Hexing another student? That's not good, young man…especially considering you've only been here one day," she scolded Mathias.

Mathias took the scolding. He didn't try to justify his actions to the medi-witch. She couldn't do anything to him after all. Well, she could if she reported it, but Poppy and Severus had a working relationship when it came to Slytherin house. She reported to him and left it up to the Potions Master whether or not to take the situation to the Headmaster or not. Normally, he didn't.

When the wizard didn't answer, Poppy sighed and said, "Well, follow me."

Severus and Mathias were led to a privacy curtain. Poppy pulled it back to reveal Daniel Hoyt, stiff and blue on a hospital cot.

"What kind of spell did you use on him? Neither Professor Snape nor I could remove it," Poppy asked Mathias.

"It's a modified stasis spell," Mathias replied, not addressing why they couldn't remove the hex as he walked up to the sixth-year and remove his wand from his pocket.

Mathias made several intricate passes over the sixth-year and murmured something in a low voice that neither Poppy nor Severus could hear. Severus nodded slightly in approval at this. The boy didn't reveal his spells.

Daniel's color returned to normal. He opened his eyes and looked about confused.

"Where am I?" he asked, trying to sit up. He was still rather stiff. His eyes fell on Mathias who looked at him steadily.

"You! Why you little…" Daniel seethed, jerking toward the boy, who didn't move but held his wand in readiness to hex the sixth-year again.

"I suggest, Mr. Hoyt," Severus said, stepping forward and fixing his dark eyes on his charge, "that you control yourself. You are in the infirmary, and Mr. Granger here just removed a hex from you that no one else could. I believe it was the hex he used on the Bloody Baron, the hex you demanded he reveal to you. Evidently, he did as you requested."

Daniel's eyes washed over the sober first year.

"Well, he's going to pay for it, isn't he?" Daniel said in an angry voice.

Severus frowned at the sixth-year.

"You demanded to know the spell, Mr. Hoyt, in a rather threatening manner which I happened to witness. I know it is tradition that first years are set upon for the first week, but as I told the Bloody Baron when he complained of Mr. Granger's self-defense…every action has a reaction. You threatened the young man, Mr. Hoyt, and he protected himself, getting the better of you. You know the philosophy, Mr. Hoyt. Should I punish the boy for reacting as a Slytherin should react? Or because you caught the short end of your actions this time?" Severus asked him.

Daniel looked from the Potions Master to Mathias. He hung his head.

"I suppose not, Professor," he conceded. Then he looked at Mathias.

"You're fast with a wand, firstie," he said to the boy, who smirked at him but didn't reply.

Poppy approached Daniel and began to check him over, the tip of her wand glowing blue as she passed it over his body. She straightened.

"He'll be fine. No permanent damage," she said, looking down at Mathias with a stern look. "I don't want to see any more casualties of your 'fast wand' in my infirmary, Mr. Granger."

Mathias gave her a very slight nod. It wasn't very convincing.

Severus smirked.

He had a feeling there would be quite a few casualties from Mr. Granger's wand in the ensuing years, at least until students learned to give the little wizard a wide berth when looking for trouble. They would find it with his son.

His son.

A son he had no claim to. A son he couldn't publicly or privately recognize. And such a talented boy too.

Mathias turned to him.

"Professor, I have transfiguration next, and I'm late," the boy said to him.

"I'll give you a note," Poppy said to the young wizard, hustling him off toward his office.

"Good-bye Professor," Mathias called back at him.

"Good-bye Mr. Granger. Don't forget your questionnaire this evening. It had to be on my desk by curfew," Severus reminded him.

"I know sir. It will be there, sir," the wizard called back as Poppy took him into her office.

In a moment Mathias left the infirmary, a piece of parchment folded in his hand.

Severus walked toward the office.

"You can go to class, Mr. Hoyt. I have a note for you in the office. And no more harassing first years, young man. It seems this years crop packs quite a punch," Poppy called to the sixth-year.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey," Daniel said, hopping off the cot, walking past the Potions Master and Poppy, entering the office to retrieve his note, then exiting the infirmary. He was going to have to take a lot of ribbing for getting hexed by a first year, but hell, the little bugger caught him dead to rights.

He had a lot of heart, that Mathias Granger. As far as Daniel Hoyt was concerned, this was the end of it. Of course, he'd look for other opportunities to get the wizard back, but he'd do it like a Slytherin would, clean and leaving himself blameless. He had another two years after all. It wasn't a matter of bad blood. It was just the way things were done.

Poppy looked at Severus.

"Mr. Granger is obviously Hermione Granger's son," she observed, fishing for answers.

Severus nodded, "Yes, he is."

Poppy tsked.

"I never imagined she was the type of young witch who would produce a child out of wedlock. She seemed so focused on her education. Didn't once come in here for contraceptives. I always thought she'd do the right thing," the medi-witch said, shaking her head.

Severus looked at the medi-witch for a moment, his nostrils flaring slightly.

"Maybe she did do the right thing, Poppy. When she found herself with child and no father, she decided to raise it on her own, rather than kill it," he said rather testily.

"Oh, I've no argument about that Professor," Poppy replied, "But it would have been better if the witch had kept her legs closed and her books open. I know she's done well for herself, but unfortunately, her son is still illegitimate, Professor. He has no proper bloodline…and you know how things are now. Bloodline is important these days. Miss Granger is a muggle-born, Professor. She doesn't really hold any place in true wizarding society."

Severus looked at the medi-witch, surprised to hear the DKV line coming from the medi-witch's mouth.

"True wizarding society, Poppy?" he asked.

"Yes, Severus. Proper witches and wizards," she said. Then the medi-witch pulled up her sleeve and showed Severus her Dark Mark.

"I'm a card-carrying member of the DKV. I've been considering joining them for more than a year now. I finally decided they are trying to preserve our way of life and joined them last month. Such a feeling of belonging," she said, smiling at the wizard.

Severus felt nauseous. He couldn't say anything against the DKV.

Poppy's eyes narrowed.

"I wonder who the boy's father is. He can't be anyone of substance to abandon the mother and the child. But then again, Miss Granger is muggle-born. She wouldn't get the respect due to a proper witch in any case," the medi-witch continued. "It was probably a one-night stand."

Severus looked at the medi-witch again.

"I must go, Poppy," he said evenly, striding away from the startled witch.

"Good-bye Professor," she called after him as he strode out the infirmary doors, letting them slam behind him.

Severus walked away from the infirmary. The DKV had managed to recruit Poppy. She had been one of the most fair-minded witches he knew. Gods, Voldemort's plan for conquest was on the verge of being very successful. With that spell attached to the Mark, the Dark Lord had a ready-made army at his scaly fingertips. Things were looking very bad for those who were not of 'proper' wizarding background.

Severus himself was a halfblood, but he had renounced both his muggle-loving mother and muggle father, who were, mercifully dead anyway and so was accepted in the new Dark Order. It would have broken his mother's heart if she knew what he had done. Still, he did what he had to do and went through the painful ritual of renunciation before the Dark Lord and was re-established as a deatheater in good standing. He was thankful he already had the Mark. At least Voldemort would not be able to control him when the time for overthrow came.

But something had to be done. The Order was losing this battle witch by wizard. Plus, he had heard some rumors that Draco was working on a way to actually draw muggle-borns into the DKV. Just how the wizard planned to do that, Severus had no idea. But Draco was shrewd. He would probably put something very enticing on the table. Severus would have to just wait and see.

The wizard took the stairwell down to the main floor. Lunch would be starting in about forty-five minutes. Today's first years first classes were all an hour in length give or take a few minutes depending on the teacher. This was for orientation. The new students would begin actual full-length classes tomorrow.

Severus headed for his office. He had something he wanted to prepare to give to Hermione when he met her at the Three Broomsticks. The Potions Master told himself the witch needed closure as to what actually occurred that night. Subconsciously, however it was something more. He wanted her to know how good it had been.

Severus let himself into his study from the Potions office, walked to his bookcase and opened a false front to reveal a number of pensieves. He picked through them until he found one that was still wrapped, having never been used. He looked at it, reading the label.

The "Sensate Pensieve." Guaranteed to Enhance your Memories or your Galleons Back. A Weasley Wizarding Wheezes Product.

Severus looked at the wrapped pensieve and carried it over to his armchair in front of the fire and set it down on the table. He withdrew his wand and laid it on the table as well. Then he picked up the pensieve and unwrapped it. He blinked his eyes at the loud yellow, pink and purple color.

"Only Fred and George," he said to himself, picking up the piece of folded parchment resting inside the bowl that gave the instructions how to use this newfangled item. Severus purchased it on a whim, being forced to pay the pair a visit to the pair by Albus. Fred and George were doing work for the Order as well, developing surveillance items to keep tabs on the DKV. He thought it sounded interesting.

Severus read the instructions, his eyebrows rising when he read the claim of what this pensieve could do.

"Hm, level one: normal immersion, level two: sensate immersion, and level three: complete immersion," he mused.

The pensieve could be set to go to any level automatically, or it could be voice activated to switch between levels with a simple incantation, no wand necessary. To exit the pensieve, one only had to say the word "Withdraw." He noted some fine print on the bottom of the instructions.

_**"Warning: Individuals who are reviewing their own memories at level two or above will be drawn into the same mental, emotional and physical state as when the memory actually occurred. It is suggested that level one be maintained in these cases. Weasley Wizarding Wheezing accepts no responsibility for the consequences of ignoring this directive."**_

Intrigued, Severus picked up his wand and deposited the desired memories into the pensieve as normal. Then he thought about how he wanted it viewed, and decided on the voice activation, and set the spell to set it in motion. A blue flash burst suddenly from the bowl, which became very warm. It cooled quickly. Supposedly, the spell had taken.

Now to view it.

Severus stuck his finger in the bowl and said, "Level one."

He was drawn into the normal view of the pensieve. His eyes grew quite hot as he reviewed the memory.

"Level two," he said.

Immediately the Potions Master began to gasp with pleasure. His eyes started to roll up into his head.

"Shit! Withdraw!" he panted, returning to his normal state.

The Potions Master wiped his face with a pale hand and stared down at the small bowl. Damn. Fred and George were absolute geniuses. That had been some viewing. He'd have to get a few more of these.

Severus wondered at what level Hermione would view this, if she viewed it at all. If she went level two…

Severus felt a throb in his boxers and sighed.

After eleven years of abandonment and the rejection of her son, there was no way the witch would let him under her robes again. She wasn't the same innocent she was eleven years ago, with secret fantasies about him running through her mind. More than likely, Hermione Granger hated him. He couldn't blame her.

But gods, that pensieve.

Severus' eyes narrowed a bit. Maybe the little bowl of memories might reawaken some of those fantasies. Or at least make the witch formulate new ones if she went level two. He had no idea what would happen at level three.

The Potions Master knew one thing however. If Hermione Granger decided she wanted him to engage her again, he'd do it.

Gladly.

* * *

Before Severus left for the Three Broomsticks that evening, he floo'd Dumbledore's office. 

"Headmaster?" he called through the floo.

"Yes, Severus?" Albus called back. He was working on some start of term paperwork.

"Are you alone, sir?" Severus inquired.

Albus stopped writing. Whenever the Potions Master asked that question, it meant he had some important information.

"Yes. Yes I am, Severus. What is it?" the Headmaster responded. There was no twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm afraid Poppy has joined the DKV," the Potions Master said.

There was a long moment of silence.

"Very well, Severus. Thank you. I will take care of it," the Headmaster said soberly.

"Yes sir," Severus replied.

The flames turned back red.

Albus removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. So it had come to this. Well, there was nothing else for it then. Behind him, Fawkes trilled sadly. Albus put his glasses back on, then turned to look at the scarlet and gold Phoenix.

"I know, Fawkes. I know," the old wizard said soothingly as he rose from his chair and walked around his desk "But I have to do what I have to do to protect Severus and the Order. Poppy will be fine, I assure you."

Fawkes trilled again and watched with sad, beautiful eyes as Dumbledore left his office, heading for the infirmary.

* * *

Poppy was sitting at her desk sorting through some files when she heard Albus calling her. She rose from her desk and exited her office to see the Headmaster standing just inside the infirmary doors. 

"Why hello Albus," she said smiling and walking up to the wizard.

"Hello my dear," Albus replied. His eyes looked a bit sad behind his half-moon glasses.

Poppy noticed immediately.

"Are you all right?" she asked him, concern in her voice.

Albus nodded.

"I am fine, Poppy. Do you have any patients in the infirmary at the moment?" he asked.

"No, I don't Albus, why?" she asked him

"I just needed to know, Poppy," the wizard said, waving his hand at the witch and catching her before she hit the floor. Albus scooped the unconscious witch up in his arms and with his other hand locked and warded the infirmary doors. Then he walked with her through a privacy curtain and gently laid her on a cot. He looked down at the medi-witch.

"I'm so, so sorry Poppy, but they've gotten to you, my dear. You know too much about Severus' activities. Eventually you would be milked for all you know. We must take precautions," he said, drawing up a chair and sitting next to the witch.

"Legilimens," he said softly, entering the witch's mind.

Carefully, he began to obliviate almost thirty years of memories.

* * *

A/N: This is the end of "Daddy Dearest" Part 1. There will be 11 parts to this story. Thanks for reading. 


	2. Daddy Dearest Part 2

Author's Note: I just want to say that concerning the situations in this story, the characters are pretty much like we are in real life. They don't always do or say the right thing, or act with forethought and can even be hurtful. I'd like you to understand that because I write a situation a particular way doesn't mean I condone it. It doesn't mean I don't either though. It is just a part of the interactions we all go through. People aren't perfect and I don't try to portray them that way. I prefer to see our weaknesses along with our strengths. We can only grow when there are challenges. It works the same way in stories.

* * *

**Daddy Dearest Part 2**

Hermione entered the Three Broomsticks Inn, her eyes sweeping the room full of patrons for Professor Snape. It was five after seven and she didn't see him anywhere. She didn't know if the wizard had made reservations or not. She walked up to the innkeeper, Madame Rosmerta, who was behind the bar serving drinks.

"Hello, Rosmerta," Hermione said to the buxom, blonde witch.

Rosmerta passed a firewhiskey to a customer, then her blue eyes turned on Hermione and she smiled.

"Why Hermione, so good to see you," she said to the witch.

"It's good to see you too, Rosmerta," Hermione replied, "I was supposed to meet Professor Snape here. Have you seen him?"

Rosmerta's eyes widened a bit. She reached into her robes pocket and pulled out a room key.

"Yes. He said to give this key to whoever asked for him. He is in room eighteen," the witch said, taking in the surprised and uncomfortable look on Hermione's face.

Obviously, this wasn't meant to be a tryst.

Hermione took the room key slowly. What the hell was the Professor up to? Surely he wasn't going to try and seduce her again. If he was, he had all the tact of a barreling bugbear. Hermione scowled darkly.

"Thank you, Rosmerta," she said evenly.

"You're welcome," Rosmerta said, drying a glass she'd just washed and eyeing the witch.

It didn't look like the Professor would be receiving a cooperative partner tonight. But then again, she'd seen the wizard woo plenty of initially uncooperative women to her rooms over the years. He wasn't a handsome man, but he definitely had something to him. She watched Hermione walk tentatively up the stairs.

Hm. Wasn't the witch involved with that dreamboat Auror, Justice Forall? Now he was a wizard to pay attention to. A lot of attention.

Hermione had just disappeared up the stairs when Justice walked into the Three Broomsticks and over to the bar. Rosmerta stared at him as if he had three heads as he took a seat.

Justice looked at the witch's expression, then ran his hand over his face and looked at it. Then he looked at Rosmerta.

"Hey there, Rosmerta. I have a bogey hanging out of my nose or something?" he asked the stricken witch.

"Ah, no Mr…Mr. Forall," Rosmerta replied, "It's just that I don't see you here often during the week."

Gods, if he found out his girlfriend was up in a room with another wizard, there could be some unwanted action in the inn tonight.

Justice frowned slightly.

"I've been stood up for the third time in a row by my significant other, so I'm not feeling too significant right now, and came to drown my sorrows in a couple of butterbeers," Justice replied.

Justice wasn't a big drinker. He just felt like getting out after Hermione broke their date for the third time. He hadn't made love to the witch in over a month, and that always made the wizard a bit antsy. He was rather possessive of Hermione despite her independent streak, and he liked to put his physical claim on her often for his own peace of mind. They had been together for over five years now, and Hermione didn't seem to want to take it any further. He thought it might be because of her son. Despite Justice's best efforts, he couldn't get the strange boy to warm up to him.

He didn't consider Mathias strange overall, just in his mannerisms. It was as if he were a little old man. He didn't act at all like a proper child. Oh, he played Quidditch with his uncles, but he didn't associate with other children very much and spent most of his time reading or locked away in the basement doing gods knew what. Justice had tried to bond with the boy, but Mathias was always close-lipped and wouldn't talk to him except to give him polite, one-word answers.

There had been a few instances of unfortunate incidents around the young wizard too, where Justice tripped for no reason, or something fell and hit him or broke when he touched it. The Auror didn't tell Hermione he believed her son was out to get him, because he knew nothing would drive a wall between them faster than if he accused Mathias of being less than a model child.

But now Mathias was at Hogwarts, and Hermione was alone. Possibly he could get her to reconsider marrying him now. He would like his own son or daughter, and to wake up alongside the witch without having to dress and leave. Well, he would get with the witch again sooner or later. And he'd work on her.

Hard.

* * *

Hermione walked down the hallway looking at room numbers until she came to room eighteen. She inserted the key and opened the door. 

Room eighteen was quite large. It had a king-sized bed, of course, but also a sitting area complete with a desk, coffee table and two comfortable armchairs set in front of the fireplace. Sitting in one of those chairs, drinking a firewhiskey was Severus Snape. The wizard put down his glass and stood when Hermione opened the door.

"Good evening, Hermione," Severus said silkily.

Hermione scowled at him.

"Don't you 'good evening' me, Severus Snape," she spat, "what is the meaning of you booking a room? You know this is completely out of line!"

Severus scowled at the witch and sat back down.

"I suppose you wanted to talk about our son where anyone could overhear us," he responded, his dark eyes leveled at her.

Hermione was taken aback. She hadn't thought about that at all. Severus was correct. They couldn't discuss what was supposed to be a tightly kept secret in public. There was no way to tell who would be listening.

"I'm sorry," she said, closing the door and approaching the wizard, "I just thought…"

"You just thought I was setting you up for an attempted seduction," Severus finished for her. "My, you are a self-absorbed little witch, aren't you? You must think quite highly of yourself to believe I can't be alone with you without scheming to get under your robes."

Hermione sat down.

"All right. I deserved that. But I said I'm sorry, and I really don't want to discuss that with you. It won't happen in any case and we have Mathias to think of," she said evenly.

Severus' eyes swept over the witch, and the memory of the pensieve combined with their tryst came stubbornly to the fore. It had been eleven years, but the memories were renewed in the wizard's mind in explicit detail due to the pensieve. He wouldn't mind taking the witch again.

"Yes, we do, Hermione. But first…" the Professor said, drawing a small, rather oval package from his robes pocket and placing it on the table between them. "I have a gift for you."

Hermione eyed the package suspiciously.

"A gift. I don't want any gifts from you. If you are trying to buy my forgiveness…you can forget about it," the witch said, frowning.

Severus frowned back at her.

"I am not trying to buy forgiveness from you. There is nothing I can possibly do or say to make the past eleven years go away for you. What I am giving you here, is closure. You don't remember that night, Hermione, and it was an important one. You lost your virginity to me and have no idea what occurred for that to happen or even what the experience was like for you, or for me. You only awoke horrified the next morning. I think you need to know."

Severus nodded toward the package.

This is a pensieve…a very special pensieve. I have included the instructions on how to use it. Whether or not you view it is up to you, but I would think you would like to know how it was for your own peace of mind. I highly doubt it will change anything, but it is an opportunity to know for yourself what occurred the night Mathias was conceived. Accept it," he said in a low, sincere voice.

Hermione stared at him.

She did need closure. Every now and then the memory of waking up next to the pale wizard naked and deflowered haunted her. It was bad enough to sleep with someone and not remember anything about it, but to sleep with someone for the first time in your life, be deflowered and impregnated without remembrance was a million times worse.

Hermione hesitated, then picked up the package and put it in her pocket.

"I'll take it, but I doubt if it will mean anything," she said to the wizard.

Severus fought back a smirk. If she went level two it would mean quite a bit, he was sure.

"That's fine. I don't expect it to," the wizard said. "But you have a right to know. That is why I gave it to you…so you can close that chapter of your life."

"Or reopen it," he thought.

Hermione was silent for a moment, then said, "Now about Mathias. I don't want him knowing that you are his father, Severus. It might destroy him to know you have always been around and never once tried to be a father to him."

"Not to mention, he may end up despising you for lying to him all these years," the Potions Master purred.

"I did what I had to do," Hermione said defensively.

"As did I, Hermione," the Potions Master said.

"Oh, yes. You are "a spy" so that absolves you from facing your responsibilities. 'Voldemort might have found out.' Sure, Severus. You couldn't have added Mathias to the hundreds of other secrets you keep from the Dark Lord," she said sarcastically. "You could have at least sent financial support. It was hard for us in the beginning."

"Hermione, I couldn't send you anything. The Dark Lord is in my pockets like lint. He keeps a close financial accounting of every sickle his deatheaters earn, and their expenditures. He has accountants keeping track of the spending and moles in Gringotts watching every account. He knows my earnings. If I had sent you anything, it would have been discovered and investigated. You and the boy would have been abducted and all of us killed. I could have absolutely NO dealings with you," Severus said evenly.

"If I sent you support, there would have been a connection. If I told you that I couldn't be in yours and Mathias life because of the Dark Lord, there still would have been a connection. I needed to be out of your thoughts as well as out of your lives. If I could have sent money, you would have seen me as an avenue of support and come to me if there were any other kinds of difficulty, Hermione. You have to see that," he said.

Hermione looked at him. He was right. She might have.

"If things were different, if you weren't under Voldemort, would you have done the right thing by Mathias?" she asked him.

"I can't say," the Professor replied honestly. "I never wanted to be a father. Possibly I would have sent money for his upkeep…but most likely that would have been the extent of it. I am not the "family man" type."

He looked at her.

"But that is neither here or there. We can do nothing about the past. It is the present and future we have to concern ourselves with. Mathias is in my house and under my care and influence now. He is quite an accomplished little wizard and bound to draw attention to himself if he does not receive proper instruction, Hermione. He is Slytherin through and through, have no doubt about that. You will not be able to keep me from influencing him, simply because he is like every other Slytherin under my care. It is my job to influence them and prepare them for adulthood. I will not slack because he is my estranged son," he said evenly.

"Then I want your word you will treat him the same as every other student under your care. I know the kind of favoritism you show your Slytherins. I am concerned you will show even more to Mathias. I want your word you won't. He is not your son. You gave up that right when you denied him," Hermione said, her eyes flashing.

Severus looked at the witch.

"Hermione, the boy already exhibits a lot of my traits. He physically resembles me. He had a distinct love of Potions as far as I can see. As he grows older, our similarities are bound to become even more apparent. Do you really think we can keep this secret from him? Do you think it fair to do such a thing? We do not have to make it public knowledge…in fact, we can't afford to the way things are developing in the wizarding world. But Mathias has a right to know," Severus said.

"No! I don't want him to ever know!" Hermione said vehemently. "I told him his father was dead and I want to leave him buried!"

"How much did you tell him about his father, Hermione? Did you give him the details a son needs to know for closure, or did you just say he was dead and left it at that?"

Hermione didn't answer him. Severus knew that meant she had given the boy no details.

"The boy most likely already knows you are hiding the truth from him," Severus said, "One day he is going to confront you head on. What will you do then?"

"Deal with it," Hermione said stubbornly.

"With more lies?" Severus asked her, scowling.

Hermione didn't answer. This meeting was supposed to be to lay the law down with the Potions Master, not put her through the third degree.

"Hermione, we will not be able to keep the truth from Mathias forever, and it would be better if we were to tell him the truth before he discovers it for himself. If he finds out, he may even disown you. In my case, it really doesn't matter. But you have loved and cared for him all his life. It will devastate you, and in a worse case scenario, lead the boy down a path he may not have chosen, seeking others to whom he can relate, maybe even drawing him into the Dark Lord's ranks."

Severus was thinking of his own spiral downward into the Dark Lord's ranks, seeking acceptance and understanding. He would hate to see the same thing happen to Mathias. He already could see the power in the young wizard. Voldemort would not be above accepting his ruined heritage in exchange for access to the boy's gifts, despite him having a muggle-born mother. Hermione was very powerful, and Voldemort would recognize that despite the public pureblood spin he put on his politics. He already accepted halfbloods who denounced their parentage. Mathias' parentage would be put on the backburner as well.

"Mathias would never join the Dark Lord," Hermione spat.

"Maybe not the Dark Lord of old, whose evil was clearly visible. But this is a new Dark Lord, growing in power and influence, who operates behind the scenes and offers a sense of new hope, power and unity. A false sense, but still leading the wizarding world like cattle to the slaughter. Without a sense of family, Mathias could be drawn into that fold, Hermione. It is something you must consider," Severus said.

Hermione looked at Severus. She knew, despite his shortcomings, the wizard was right concerning Mathias.

"But…but how can I tell him?" she asked the wizard brokenly. "I've lied to him all these years…"

"Basically, when the time comes, we must tell him together. We must tell him how he was conceived…"

Here Hermione blanched. She didn't want her son to know he was the product of a drunken interlude with an ex-teacher.

"Then I must tell him how I disowned him, and the reasons why, and you must tell him why you lied to him. He will have to be old enough to confide in. I am not saying it is something we can do now…I don't think it wise…but possibly in his fourth or at the latest, fifth year in Hogwarts," Severus said. "We have to be sure he understands how important it is that he keep his parentage a secret," the wizard said.

"If he even speaks to either of us again," Hermione said, her eyes glistening.

Severus studied her.

"For now, Hermione…I will keep this secret and not reveal who I am to the boy. But as far as exerting my influence…I will do this. He needs the instruction of a Slytherin, as well as direction because he is so powerful. I will provide that direction in my capacity as Head of House until such time as my true role in his life is revealed. And revealed it must be," Severus replied.

Hermione looked at him, tears now freely rolling down her face.

"You have raised an exceptional son, Hermione Granger. You should be proud," he said softly. "He is skilled, brave and fair-minded. But he is also dark, secretive, resourceful, and quick-tempered. He needs guidance handling those aspects of himself. It is my turn to take the reins. I may not have been there in the past, Hermione, but the fates have put me here now. I have no choice but to do my duty by the boy, both as a teacher and a father…though I still cannot help financially…."

"We're fine," Hermione said, wiping her eyes and regaining her composure. "Mathias wants a private room. I think he should have one."

As much as she hated to admit it to herself, having the Potions Master's help in this situation seemed like a blessing. All the things he said were true, and his evaluation of the situation and what should be done about it, correct. She didn't have the strength to face Mathias alone…at least Severus would be there to absorb some off the blow when Mathias reacted. It wouldn't all fall on her.

Severus nodded.

"I will see to it. I think it is a wise move. The boys he shares his room with are less than stellar," the Potions Master said as Hermione rose.

"Thank you, Severus," she said, meaning it. "If you need to contact me, you have the proper information. I can also be reached at the Ministry."

"Yes," Severus said, rising and towering over the witch.

Hermione looked at him, the mother in her coming out.

"You let him down before, Severus. Don't let him down again," she said warningly. "I promise you, I won't be so accepting this time."

"I won't," the wizard replied, letting her threat pass.

Their eyes met for a moment, and there was an uncomfortable silence.

"I should go," Hermione said unnecessarily.

"Yes," Severus agreed, thinking about the pensieve. "You should."

Hermione started toward the door, then halted.

"You look after Mathias. Don't let him get away with too much," she said, her eyes glittering a bit.

"He's in capable hands," Severus replied.

Hermione nodded and exited the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Severus stared at the closed door, thinking he now found himself in the position he had tried so hard to avoid. The position of a father. Fate couldn't be thwarted, no matter how hard one tried. He had so much to make up for, and so much more to do when it came to Mathias Granger.

He sighed and sat back down. He'd have one more drink before leaving.

He needed it.

* * *

Hermione descended the stairs in somewhat of a daze. She was aware of the chattering patrons of the Three Broomsticks as she headed for the door. 

Suddenly she was caught by her arm and whirled around. She found herself meeting the hard eyes of Justice Forall.

The wizard had seen her descend the stairs from the rooms upstairs. What was she doing here, where was she coming from and more importantly, who had she been with?

"What are you doing here, Hermione?" Justice demanded, his grip on her arm firm. "I thought you said you had a meeting tonight."

He studied her face. She didn't have the flushed look she normally did after intercourse…but still…there were only bedrooms upstairs.

"I did have a meeting," Hermione said rather lamely, trying to break free of the Auror's grip.

"In a private room at the inn? What kind of meeting could that have been?" he asked accusingly, his heart tight in his chest.

Gods, was she seeing another wizard?

"I don't have to tell you that, Justice. It was a meeting. A private one. That should be explanation for you enough," Hermione said evenly.

Justice frowned at her.

"You've broken three dates with me in the past month, Hermione. I wonder if these 'meetings' have anything to do with it?" he said coldly.

Hermione scowled at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked him, knowing full well what the wizard was insinuating.

"It means maybe you've been busy attending these meetings flat on your back with your heels in the air," he said nastily.

Severus descended the stairs just in time to see Hermione slap a tall, blonde wizard who had a possessive grip on her arm.

"Uh oh," he thought, "Enter the jealous boyfriend."

Justice let go of Hermione and brought his hand to his jaw, stunned as Hermione stormed away. He didn't follow her. Rosmerta looked at the Auror sympathetically.

"Have another butterbeer, Justice. On the house," she said gently, sliding another mug in front of the wizard.

Severus appeared on the other side of Justice, handing Rosmerta two sets of keys.

"Thank you, Madame," the Potions Master said, taking a good look at Justice, then leaving the inn, smirking just a bit.

It seemed Hermione's personal life had just taken a turn for the worst.

Rosmerta breathed a sigh of relief as the dark wizard left. Disaster had been avoided. Narrowly. Thank the gods Hermione and Professor Snape hadn't descended the stairwell together. There would have most certainly been an even large scene, topped off with a brawl.

Justice sat at the bar, his cheek burning where Hermione's angry little hand had connected, and his heart aching. What had he done or not done to make her seek out someone else? He loved her as much as he could love anyone or anything.

"Rosmerta," he said to the innkeeper. "Give me a firewhiskey. Make it a double and keep 'em coming."

Rosmerta frowned at the wizard, but she wasn't the neighborhood watchdog. He was a grown man and this was a bar after all.

The witch gave the Auror what he wanted.

Several times.

* * *

Poppy started, blinking her eyes quickly. She was seated at her desk in her office. The medi-witch looked down at her unfinished paperwork. 

"My, I must have dozed off," she said to herself, yawning. She stood up and stretched. "I'd better be off to bed then. I can finish this paperwork tomorrow."

Poppy exited her office, extinguished the torches then walked off to her private quarters to get some rest. She had no idea hundreds of memories had been removed from her mind.

She'd never miss them.

* * *

Albus sat in his office deep in contemplation, his bearded chin resting on his hands as Fawkes crooned a soothing tune behind him. 

It had taken the wizard three hours of arduously walking through Poppy's remembrances of healing Severus when he returned from the Dark Lord, and all references to his work for the Order to oblivate those specific memories. It was hard, cautious work, but he'd done it, carefully binding the remaining memories into a smooth tapestry, so no telltale gaps would remain. But a casualty of the targeted obliviation was that Severus would no longer have the close relationship he'd developed with Poppy over the years. The Headmaster mourned this, because the Potions Master did not have that many people he was close to, and Poppy had mothered the wizard, and he accepted it, although he complained horribly. Now that relationship was gone. Poppy would still be civil, but nowhere near as close as she used to be to the wizard.

One good thing, for the Potions Master anyway, was that Voldemort's new focus was less painful for the wizard. Severus rarely returned to Hogwarts in as deplorable a state as he did earlier in the Dark Lord's regime. Because of the influx of deatheaters in high positions, the despot had spies everywhere and knew what was happening in every area of the wizarding world. Probably the only organization that wasn't infiltrated was the Order itself. So he only occasionally called on Severus to find out what Albus was up to. The Dark Lord knew the old wizard was effectively being outmaneuvered. Severus only had to validate it, which he did.

Albus was toying with the idea of forming a kind of coalition group, promoting unity of all magical and non-magical peoples. But the wizard didn't have the resources that Voldemort did. It was said that the number of his marked political deatheaters was close to one hundred thousand individuals, each of which paid monthly membership dues that went to the Dark Lord's coffers. He used this money to maintain and promote his DKV organization as well as his other, darker interests.

Albus sighed. How he longed for the days of direct battle, when Voldemort's evil was above board and discernable. Then there was a tangible enemy that the people could see. Now the wizard was buried securely behind a shield of psuedo-respectablity and ideology. The Headmaster was waiting for the campaign to have Voldemort cleared of all charges against him so he could run for various positions of power simultaneously. He knew it was coming. There was too much acceptance for overturning his 'exile' not to be attempted. Exile indeed. The wizard was a tyrant and a mass murderer. He should be dead.

Fawkes lifted his voice, sensing Albus' despair.

And those horrible Marks. Merlin only knew what that monster was going to do with them if things didn't go his way politically. According to Severus, if Voldemort chose, he could throw the wizarding world into chaos right now, turning all one hundred thousand of the DKV members into killing machines.

Albus wished he had Hermione Granger working on the Mark. The witch had spent several weeks on the project, before pointedly being called back to the Ministry to focus on the Spells Department. Albus suspected Draco Malfoy had something to do with that. Those who had taken the Mark and were being examined must have told other members.

Then the Council passed the an inter-ministry regulation that no Ministry employee could be involved in any unofficial investigations or outside efforts to discredit the DKV which was a legal organization under charter, sufficiently blocking any further help from the witch. There were others who were working on trying to discern the spell, but it was becoming more and more difficult to find members of the DKV who were willing to submit to the testing. They were being warned that "outside forces" were trying to destroy the organization.

Plus, none of the other spells specialists were as brilliant as Hermione. But the witch had worked hard to secure her position. She couldn't be expected to walk away from the Ministry. She had a child to support and an established lifestyle.

A child that now attended Hogwarts. A child who was the unrecognized offspring of Severus Snape, and was in the house of Slytherin. A child who would probably prove to be one of the most powerful wizards Hogwarts had ever produced.

There were going to be problems concerning Mathias Granger. Albus could feel the power radiating off the boy the moment he walked into the Great Hall. It was only an inkling of what was to come. He was young yet. Albus was concerned however. If Voldemort got wind of the boy, even without knowing his parentage, he might make a concerted effort to draw him into his ranks. When Mathias found out the truth about his parentage, and Albus was sure he would, he might rebel and turn to darker influences, much like Severus had turned when he sought to belong to something he hoped would make him whole. The Headmaster prayed this wouldn't happen.

It would make a difficult situation only more difficult.

* * *

Jasmine Malfoy flipped upside down in her four-poster bed, invoking the two-way mirror her father Draco had provided her. He doted on his daughter even more so than his infant son, Lucius Jr. And Jasmine knew how to work her father. He denied her nothing she wanted. 

Draco's handsome face appeared in the mirror.

"Hello, kitten," he said, smiling at his daughter. "How was your first day at Hogwarts?"

"Hello, father. It would have been dreadful if not for the excitement a boy here caused," she responded. "He hexed the Bloody Baron, beat up Boyle, hexed a sixth year so badly no one could remove the spell but him, then hexed the entire house of Gryffindor, turning their breakfasts over on their robes."

Draco's eyebrows rose.

"Is this boy a first year, Jasmine?" he asked her curiously.

"Yes, sir. He is. He's kind of somber, but was nice to me," she said.

"He'd be a fool not to be nice to you, Jasmine," her father replied, "What's his name?"

"Mathias Granger. His mother is a Spells Mistress," Jasmine replied.

"Granger? And he's a Slytherin?" Draco asked his daughter, incredulous.

Jasmine nodded.

Draco burst into laughter. Hermione Granger, the consummate Gryffindor birthed a son that was a Slytherin. Everyone must be completely appalled. Draco knew she had a child but had never investigated it further than finding out the child was born out of wedlock and had no father. Knowing Granger, the impregnation had to be an accident, and she was too Gryffindor to get rid of the child. He must have been the product of a one-night stand. If she had been in a relationship, the father most likely would have claimed the child.

But the blonde wizard soon sobered. The boy seemed to be quite powerful and quite brave. Draco couldn't recollect anyone ever hexing the Bloody Baron. That was quite impressive in itself.

But damn, he was the son of a mudblood. More than likely his father was a halfblood at least, which would make Mathias a halfblood as well, since his mother was an actual witch, although badly tainted by muggle blood. The boy sounded interesting. The fact he was in Slytherin suggested the boy had a dark nature as well. Wouldn't it just destroy Hermione if her son were tempted into serving the Dark Lord?

"Jasmine, Mathias' mother is a mudblood," he told his daughter, whose face screwed up in horror at first, then confusion.

"But why is he in Slytherin then father? I thought only halfbloods and purebloods were sorted here." she said.

"Well, Mathias has no father…at least no father that claims him. He's a bastard, Jasmine. Illegitimate. But obviously his father was at least a halfblood. His mother is a tainted witch with dirty blood, which gives him dirty blood, but she is still a witch. So he is a halfblood and technically qualifies to be accepted into Slytherin house," he said evenly.

Jasmine looked at her father.

"Should I shun him, father? He is not one of us after all. I don't want to be tainted," she said frowning.

Draco looked at his daughter. She was a Malfoy all right.

"No Jasmine. Dirty-blooded or not, the boy might end up becoming a powerful wizard. He could one day renounce his parentage and become acceptable if not wholly one of us. You might even influence him to do this when you are older and he is more, shall we say 'susceptible' to your charms," her father said.

Jasmine blushed. She was a Malfoy female and fully knew what that meant. Females in her family were schooled early and subtly in the attracting and subsequent manipulation of males. She was only eleven, but knew she was to be a femme fatale when she got older. Making Mathias like her now would make her job easier should she be required to turn him later on when they matured.

"I'll be his friend then, father," she said, smiling.

Draco nodded.

"Good girl. Now tell me about your classes…"

* * *

Hermione apparated to her flat, furious at Justice. How dare he assume she was shagging someone else just because she was upstairs in the Three Broomsticks? Plus, he made a public scene. He was cut off. Off. 

The wizard had acted as if he owned her, and no one owned Hermione Granger. She was a self-made witch. Just because she had an intimate relationship with the Auror, didn't mean he had a right to take her to task over her perceived actions. He had acted like a brute. She didn't do brutes. He had crossed the line when he grabbed her and accused her. Just his grabbing her was enough to turn her off to him. That could be a sign of possible violence later on. She wouldn't deal with that.

The witch walked into the kitchen and put a pot of tea on to help calm herself. She felt the pensieve Severus had given her bounce against her leg, and removed it from her pocket. She stared at the package for a moment then set it on the kitchen table.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to see what was in it. Surely it showed them intimately involved. Watching herself shag Severus Snape wasn't on her list of things to do. She took off her robe and draped it on the back of her chair, then retrieved her tea, pouring it into a cup and carrying it to the table. She sat down at took a sip, staring at the wrapped package again.

Hermione set her cup down and picked up the package. Slowly, she unwrapped it, revealing the bawdy, pink, purple and yellow colored bowl.

"He should have added a pair of sunglasses with this thing," Hermione muttered, looking at the swirling silver liquid inside. It had been sealed, and she took out her wand and removed it. She then picked up the instructions.

"Sensate Pensive," she intoned, "A Weasley Wizarding Wheezes Product."

Ah, that explained the colors.

Hermione read over the instructions. Levels? There were levels of viewing? She read the warning. Dear gods…at level two she could experience the pensieve.

Hermione blinked at the bowl. So she could experience having sex with Severus? She felt a small pulse in her lower belly.

"That's preposterous," she said, ignoring the pulse.

For a moment, she remembered the terrible crush she had on the Potions Master in her seventh year, as well her first year of university. She had even browbeaten herself for not letting him know how she felt before she left Hogwarts. And gods, the fantasies she used to have…of being ravished by him in the dungeon corridors, his classroom and numerous other locations in Hogwarts.

The witch shook her head. So she finally had sex with him and couldn't remember it. She had been horrified the next morning, pulling the covers off the bed to cover herself as she stared at the blood in the bed and the pale, naked wizard who lay smirking at her, his arms crossed behind his head and dark eyes glittering.

What was worse, Severus left without a word.

Did she really want to see this?

A small, very sick part of her did…badly.

"I can view this. I'll keep it at level one and be an observer. I know it's probably going to be horrible, but I have to know what happened. I have to," she told herself as she finished her tea.

Hermione rose from the table, put her teacup in the sink, then retrieved her robes, the pensieve, lowered the torches and walked into her bedroom. She put the pensieve down on the nightstand, hung up her robes, took a quick shower and changed into her nightclothes.

The witch approached her bed, her eyes on the pensieve.

"I can do this," she said to herself, climbing into the bed and sitting up against the headboard.

Hermione looked at the swirling liquid that represented Severus Snape's memories of the night he seduced and deflowered her. She lifted her hand, her index finger extended, ready to place it inside.

She hesitated.

"I'm a Gryffindor! I can do this!" the witch hissed, then thrust her finger into the bowl.

Suddenly Hermione was standing next to the bar in the Three Broomsticks Inn. There were plenty of patrons, mostly the university crowd who had just started a two-week holiday. There was plenty of chatter going on. Yes, she remembered this much.

She looked around the inn. Suddenly, Hermione saw herself and Severus sitting at a table near the stairs. She was dressed in her university robes and the Professor was in his standard school robes. She had a large glass in front of her filled with crushed ice, red liquid with a strawberry stuck on the rim. Two other similar glasses, empty were pushed to the side. The Professor had a glass of firewhiskey. No empties.

She was talking to the Professor, who was looking at her with a rather thoughtful look on his face. Hermione noted she looked rather flushed. She walked closer to hear what she was saying.

Suddenly the Professor said, "Miss Granger, this has been rather fun, but I'm afraid I must go."

"No! No, Professor, don't leave. Keep me company a bit longer," Hermione said, smiling at him.

Severus arched an eyebrow at her.

"Miss Granger, I believe it is the daiquiris that make you think I am good company," he said to her.

"No. No, it's not the daiquiris, Professor, I assure you," Hermione said, dropping her voice. "If you stay, I'll tell you a secret. It's about you."

She winked at the wizard.

Hermione clapped her hand over her face. Gods, he was going to leave that night and she made him stay. She was flirting with him. She never flirted.

Severus studied her for a moment.

"All right. I will stay for a few more minutes," he conceded, interested. "Now what is this secret, Miss Granger."

"I had a crush on you. A terrible, terrible crush," she said, leaning toward the wizard. "In my seventh year and through university."

The Potions Master eyed her speculatively.

"How terrible a crush, Miss Granger?" he asked her silkily.

Hermione finished off her daiquiri, and looked at the wizard with narrowed eyes for a moment.

"I used to fantasize about you," she said in a low voice. "Almost every other night, and in your classroom."

"Surely you could have found someone other to fantasize about, Miss Granger. I am twice your age," he said evenly.

Hermione caught a note in the Professor's voice that was a bit different than his normal timbre.

"No. No one else compared to you. So dark. So brilliant. So courageous. So sexy," Hermione said. "I dreamed about your hands…and more than your hands."

The Potions Master's eyes glittered at her.

"If I stay, Miss Granger, will you tell me what you fantasized about exactly?" he asked her.

Hermione gave him a bit of a naughty look.

"Yes," she said, "I suppose I can, now. I've grown up."

Severus's eyes washed over the curves under her robes.

"Yes you have," he said shortly, waving over a waitress and ordering two more drinks. One for him and one for her.

He turned his eyes back toward the witch.

"So tell me about your fantasies, Miss Granger," he said.

Pensieve Hermione scowled slightly

"No. Not unless you call me Hermione. I want to hear how my name sounds when you say it," she demanded.

Wow, she was lit.

He looked at her.

"Hermione," he said in his silkiest voice.

Hermione saw herself shudder when the wizard said her name. The worst part about this was she knew that she was drunk, but didn't seem as drunk as she really was. She was speaking clearly, though her laughter was a bit wilder than usually. She was obviously in a spill-my-guts-say-anything-without-thinking-of-the-consequences mode that night. She had this happen once before, but with Harry and Ron.

She drank too much and ended up hurting Ron's feelings very badly by laughing at how thick he was, and giving example after example from their days at school. Hermione said things to him she would never have said sober. Even Harry was mad at her and didn't quite accept that she was drunk and had no remembrance of saying those terrible things to their friend.

"Maybe you shouldn't drink, Hermione," Harry said to her, frowning. "It turns you into someone else."

"I have just as much right to let go as anyone else," she had retorted stubbornly.

"Yes, you do. But one day you might let go and fall," the wizard had replied evenly, not knowing his words were going to be prophetic. "And there won't be anyone there to catch you."

And that's exactly what happened to her.

"That sounds…sounds…incredibly sexy, Professor. Say it again. Please," the witch begged.

"Hermione," the wizard purred.

Hermione watched her pensieve double shudder again and look at the wizard as if she could just devour him. She never remembered herself acting so wanton toward anyone in her life. Gods…who seduced who here?

"Now tell me what your fantasies were like," Severus said as the waitress returned and set their drinks down in front of them. "Hermione."

"Well, in one of them I used to imagine myself walking all alone down the dungeon corridor. It was very late, after curfew and I wasn't supposed to be out. No one was around. No one but you…you caught me after curfew and said I needed to be punished, then turned me around to the wall and pulled up my robes, then my skirt, then pulled down my knickers…and then…then," she said to the wizard who looked like he was holding his breath.

"My gods. Did I actually tell him that?" Hermione said to herself, appalled.

"Then you did it to me real hard," she finished.

Hermione groaned.

"It?" the Professor asked, one eyebrow arched.

Hermione made a circle with her thumb and forefinger, then thrust her other index finger through it back and forth.

"Yes. It," she said to him.

"Oh. 'It,'" he responded, smirking a little at her childish display. "And did you like 'it?'"

Hermione took a large drink of her daiquiri.

"I loved 'it'" she said dreamily. "You said dirty things to me while you did 'it.'"

The she laughed.

"It was all so ridiculous, Professor. I was crazy with lust and infatuation back then. I think my hormones were all out of whack or something. Like you would ever do anything like that."

The wizard's eyes swept over her.

"Your hormones may well have been out of whack, Hermione, but do you have any other fantasies you care to share? I find them…interesting," he said to her, a glint in his dark eyes.

"I have hundreds," she said, "You have a while?"

"I believe I do, Hermione," he said leaning forward. "I believe I do."

Present-day Hermione turned all kinds of colors as she listened to herself confess all of her fantasies to the wizard. She didn't use any obscene or explicit language as she described different scenarios and went through two more daiquiris in the process. But her descriptions were still quite racy.

The wizard listened to her, his eyes growing hotter and hotter. An aroused Professor Snape was something to see. The pensieve Hermione didn't seem to be aware of how the fantasies were affecting the wizard. She was laughing a lot of the time at how silly it all was. It was clear the Professor didn't find them silly at all. He had an almost dangerous look about him, as if he'd like to abduct her. But again, the pensieve Hermione was oblivious.

Watching Severus, Hermione felt a little stab inside as the wizard of her fantasies began to show an interest in her beyond student status. Curious, the witch walked around the table to look at the Professor's robes. They were tented. He had an erection. And it was huge.

"Dear gods," Hermione breathed, her eyes flicking up to Severus' face. His jaw was tightly clenched.

"Hermione, do you ever have a fantasy that's…er…rather novel in your case? Perhaps one with you and I in a bed?" the Professor asked her in a rather hoarse voice. "Because that is a fantasy I could fulfill for you. Here. Tonight. If you still have those kinds of feelings about me…if you are still…curious."

And there it was. The Professor had made his move.

Pensieve-Hermione looked at him as if shocked.

"I never thought you'd ever want to touch me, Professor. I'm such a little irritating know-it-all," she said. "You never liked me."

The Professor shifted in his chair. Apparently his swollen member was causing him some discomfort. He pulled his chair closer to the witch and leaned forward.

"I assure you, Miss Granger, right now I want to do more than touch you. You are much less irritating than you were when you attended Hogwarts," he said silkily. "And you are far more likable at this moment than you realize."

Pensieve Hermione looked interested but slightly indecisive. The wizard poured on the sex, making his voice low, seductive and full of promise. Even in a pensieve, Hermione felt that voice go straight to her core.

"Don't you want to know what it's really like to have me shag you, Hermione?" he asked her. "The reality is much better than the fantasy, believe me."

Real Hermione brought her hand to her belly with a gasp as a gush of lubrication rolled between her thighs.

"Withdraw," she breathed.

Hermione was once again sitting against the headboard of her bed. She hugged herself against the ache she felt, feeling stickiness pooling between her legs. The witch could smell her own arousal.

This was ridiculous. She couldn't be reacting this way. She hadn't felt anything remotely resembling desire for years and years for the Potions Master. Whenever she had thought about him, he was a total bastard who denied her son.

Hermione hadn't known the pensieve would affect her this much, nor had she known just how much she contributed to her own deflowerment. What wizard could resist bedding a witch who fantasized about him, and told him so? Even a wizard as cold as Severus Snape wouldn't be immune to such a thing.

Hermione stared at the pensieve as if it had grown teeth. In a way, it had.

The witch reluctantly released herself. She was being drawn back to the bowl of memories. The frightening thing was, the draw to the pensieve wasn't because of a need to know. She knew her body's signals and it wanted to go back.

Back to the Professor.

Hermione stared at the pensieve with mixed emotions. She hadn't known viewing it would cause such feelings inside her. She had been very attracted to the wizard all those years ago, and the bowl of memories had transported her back to that time of longing. Severus had just propositioned her and her reaction was so powerful, she was forced to withdraw. Now every fiber of her being begged her to go back and see the lost memory through.

Her stomach in knots, Hermione returned her finger to the pensieve.

Pensieve Hermione was looking into the intense black eyes of the Potions Master. He had just finished telling her that the reality of being with him would be much better than her fantasies.

Hermione watched as her pensieve self seemed mesmerized by the wizard, who placed one pale hand on hers and gently caressed the back of it with his fingertips, tracing her knuckles and small veins delicately. The witch was reacting to his touch strongly, her body trembling slightly as the wizard's black eyes smoldered.

"I will book a room for us," Severus said in that same seductive voice, "then I will give you the experience you've fantasized about, Hermione. All I need to hear is from you is one word, witch. Yes."

"Yes," pensieve Hermione breathed.

Professor Snape disappeared so quickly from his chair it seemed as if he suddenly and silently disapparated. In a moment he reappeared and pressed something into her hand.

"The key," he said, his voice low, those black eyes focused on her intently. "I shall go up to the room first. Wait five minutes then follow me. I will be waiting for you."

The wizard turned with a billow of robes and first walked over to the bar, speaking to Rosmerta and pressing several coins into her hand. Then he slowly strolled over to the stairs, attracting no attention…then ascended them, disappearing around the corner of the upper landing.

Pensieve Hermione looked at the key. Room number eighteen.

Hermione's eyebrows rose. She had met with the Professor tonight in the very same room Mathias was conceived in. She wondered if the wizard had chosen that room for their meeting purposely. Knowing the Professor, he had, possibly believing it would have some subconscious effect on her.

Five minutes later, pensieve Hermione rose from the table, walked over to the stairs and began to climb them. Hermione followed the witch, noticing that she didn't stumble or show any signs of heavy inebriation that she could discern. She was slightly flushed, but that was all the witch could see.

Hermione had stopped drinking at all after waking up next to the Potions Master. She hadn't touched alcohol in any form for eleven years. Justice would always try to get her to relax with a glass of wine, but the witch always refused, saying she could relax fine without it. Now, watching herself walk up those stairs, Hermione knew she made the right decision.

Pensieve Hermione walked down the hall, looking at the room numbers until she came to room eighteen. Instead of inserting the key, she turned the knob and the door opened. Hermione followed her in.

Yes, it was the same room, but the torchlight was turned low, emulating candlelight.

"Professor?" Hermione called, not seeing the wizard.

"Over here," replied a silky voice.

The Potions Master was standing in front of the fireplace facing her. He was partially shadowed, but she could make out his glittering eyes. He wore a slight scowl on his face. Hermione noted that his robes weren't quite as tented as they were downstairs in the inn. Had the wizard cooled toward her and rethought the situation?

Pensieve Hermione walked over to him, stopping only inches from his body, looking up at him, hunger evident in her eyes. There seemed to be electricity passing between the witch and the Potions Master. Hermione was spellbound as she watched herself slowly place both hands on the robed wizard's shoulders and draw them slowly down over his chest.

"I always wondered how you felt under your robes," the witch breathed as the silent wizard looked down at her, allowing her to explore him. "Your body is hard."

"Yes. Some parts harder than others," he agreed, still staring down at her and making no move. Suddenly Hermione's small hand reached up and touched his face, exploring it as well. She ran her hand over his large nose.

"I've always wanted to touch your nose. It's beautiful," she breathed.

The wizard's scowl softened then.

"You think my nose beautiful?" he asked her.

"I think everything about you is beautiful," Hermione replied, "Your nose, your eyes, your voice, your skin, your hands…" She let her hand brush through his lank black locks.

"Soft. Not greasy," she breathed.

"Looks can be deceiving," the wizard replied, his dark eyes studying her.

Hermione watched herself touch the Potions Master. It seemed innocent but extremely intimate. She had told the wizard he was beautiful. Merlin. Well, when she had the crush on the wizard, she really did think he was beautiful, dark and sensual.

Clearly, she had been the aggressor when the doors were closed. She was the one touching him, talking to him. He didn't immediately ravish her like she had always thought. He seemed to be waiting.

"I want you to touch me," pensieve Hermione said.

Severus let one hand run through her chestnut hair, lifting it and letting it fall before allowing himself to caress her cheek, and her throat, his movements smooth, unhurried as his pale hand smoothed over her exposed flesh. Hermione's eyes closed and she sighed.

Hermione watched spellbound. The wizard was so focused, so restrained but his eyes, gods they looked almost feral as he touched her.

"So soft," Severus purred, looking down at her. His robes were tenting again. His hand rested on her throat.

"Don't stop," Hermione breathed.

Severus let his hand slide down around the curve of her breast and the witch shuddered suddenly, stepping forward and pressing her body into his. The wizard hissed in reaction, and began to caress her body in earnest, pensieve Hermione sighing and moving against him more insistently as his pale hands moved around her waist, to the small of her back, over her hips and thighs and back up over her ass, pressing her into him. Then he began to move against her.

"Kiss me Professor," Hermione panted at the wizard.

Severus lowered his head and covered her mouth with his, his black hair falling on her shoulders, half hiding the kiss as Hermione watched, their fully clothed bodies grinding against each other. Hermione could hear her own moans of desire and felt heat covering her own body as she watched herself lose control, her arms wrapping tightly around the Potions Master's neck and throwing her whole body into the kiss.

The Professor let out a deep, feral growl, and pulled back from the clinging witch, his eyes hot, then suddenly he moved them away from in front of the fireplace and spun Hermione to the wall, lifting her up and burying his face against her throat, obviously kissing it by the way she was responding, pressing his body against her.

Hermione stared, her mouth dropping open at the sensuality of it. It was like watching a living fantasy unfold, but this…this had really happened. Hermione watched as she responded to the wizard, her eyes half-closed with pleasure as his lips, hands and body consumed her. They weren't even undressed yet.

"Professor," she breathed.

"Severus. Call me, Severus witch," he gasped at her, letting her down from the wall and pulling out his wand.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I don't have the patience to unwrap you or myself," he said. "Divesto. Divesto"

Suddenly Hermione and the Potions Master were both naked, their clothing appearing neatly folded on one of the armchairs.

Real Hermione gasped as did the pensieve Hermione.

Severus tossed his wand on to the armchair with their clothing.

"No need for that wand. I have another for the magic you need, witch," he breathed, spinning her around again and holding her at arms length, letting his black eyes wash over her curvaceous body hungrily.

The Professor's body was lean, strong and sinewy, an even alabaster color with well-defined musculature. The Dark Mark was visible on his forearm and the sight of the brand sent a thrill through Hermione as the danger inherent in the dark, courageous wizard worked its way into her psyche like an aphrodisiac. This was a man that braved death every day of his life, and he was focused on her above all else.

Small scars were apparent on his chest and belly and he had the legs of a runner. Hermione never dreamed he would be so well-built. But then again he wasn't quite forty yet and nowhere near middle age for a wizard. He appeared older than he really was because of the severe way he carried himself. But naked…he was no old man.

Hermione gasped as she saw the wizard's organ. He was huge. That was what he deflowered her with? No wonder she had such an ache the next day. She felt another gush roll down her thighs as Severus pulled her pensieve body into him again.

Pensieve Hermione was too caught up in her passion to say or do anything but respond to the wizard, who ran his hands over her body again before bending her back and attacking her full breasts, fondling, licking and suckling them as Hermione cried out with pleasure.

Watching Severus take his pleasure of her pensieve body was too much for Hermione. It was too affecting, too naughty, too sexual…too erotic to bear…

"Withdraw!" she gasped, clutching herself as she was drawn up and out of the pensieve.

This time she was gasping for air as she leaned back against the headboard, her entire body on fire, a hungry ache burning between her legs.

"Damn," she breathed staring at the pensieve, the back of her nightgown wet from her arousal, her entire bedroom smelling of desire.

Gods. The Professor hadn't been the lecher she thought he must have been that night, and she wasn't the innocent little victim overpowered by him she believed she was. Although she was not in control of her facilities, there was no possible way the wizard could have known that, not by her words and her responses to him. All he knew was she responded to him and wanted him. He simply reacted accordingly.

Hermione sat there, a bundle of lust. Merlin, how could she ever see him again and look at him the same way?

The witch knew when she next entered the pensieve, she would see the act itself. She could watch it…or she could…could...

Suddenly Hermione orgasmed, shrieking in surprise as her body clutched in on itself and the delicious feeling of release rushed over her, the pulse of bliss curling her toes. Hermione slid sideways across the headboard to the bed and lay there on her side, resting on top of the pillows shuddering, her amber eyes half-lidded with pleasure.

And just think, she hadn't even gone level two yet.

* * *

Severus lay in his four-poster reviewing his meeting with Hermione and wondering how she would react when she saw her deflowerment in the pensieve. The witch would be in for quite a shock, he was sure. She'd see he hadn't been the lecherous monster she had most likely envisioned over the years. 

Hermione had been very sweet that night. He had never had a woman who was so attracted to him simply because he was who he was. Galleons, or his position in the ranks of the Dark Lord attracted most.

She had called him beautiful that night. And meant it as far as he could tell.

The wizard frowned.

She didn't find him quite so beautiful the next morning when she woke up next to him. She yelled at him, accusing him of taking advantage of her and calling him names. He smirked at the difference between the Hermione of the night before and the Hermione in the light of day as she screamed at him.

His final thought as he left the distraught witch at the Three Broomsticks was, women were all fickle bitches. The whole lot of them.

So he wasn't feeling particularly kind toward the witch when she showed up pregnant. This made it easier to do what he had to do, and gave him a sense of satisfaction after she treated him so badly. If she hadn't acted so enamored of him, it might not have bothered him to be so blatantly rejected. He had no further designs on the witch, but he thought they might part amicably considering he had taken her virginity.

"Well," he thought as he stared up at the ceiling, "At least the witch will see she wanted me to take what she gave me that night. I imagine it won't be the closure she imagined it would be."

* * *

Severus was quite right. The pensieve had lost its fire as far as closure was concerned for the witch. Something else had opened up. Something that Hermione never wanted to feel again. Desire for the wizard. Desire for the man who had walked away from his responsibilities without looking back once. 

But what a desire it was. Nothing like what she felt for Justice. Hermione was drawn to the Auror, and there was a strong feeling of attraction for the wizard. With Justice, sex was more of a showing of affection, a kind of giving in because she knew he wanted to be closer to her. His kisses and touches were pleasant, and his sex was good, but she had never felt such a burning hunger inside her as she did now.

Hermione sat back up, then pulled off her sticky nightgown and took a deep breath. That had been some orgasm…and it was brought on just by the thought of feeling Severus Snape take her.

Hermione shook her head. She never knew she was so wanton. Didn't she have any self-respect? Any pride? Any control? Here she was, naked in her bed, creaming herself over the idea of surrendering to a man who turned his back on her and his own son. The witch mentally browbeat herself for a moment. If she had even an ounce of respect for herself, she would destroy the pensieve, rather than give in to her body's urges and go through her deflowerment again

But the thought of the Potions Master on top of her…inside of her…dear gods…

Hermione knew what it was that was dragging her back. It was the promise of the fulfillment of a fantasy, just as the wizard had said. She had spent over two years dreaming about Severus possessing her, and she had never experienced it although he deflowered her.

Could it be, somewhere deep inside she felt cheated?

Oh. That was too sick.

But Severus had been the only wizard she ever wanted that way, the only man she could imagine surrendering her body to for his and her pleasure.

There were other wizards nicer, handsomer and closer to her own age that should have been suitable. But no, she wanted the wizard that she could never please, who took pleasure in giving her a hard time, who made her fight for every mark.

She wanted the wizard who was sarcastic, untouchable, unfeeling, whose black eyes gazed right through her, his sensual lips twisted with disdain. She wanted the wizard who came back from Voldemort broken, near death and who recovered to return to the despot, to be broken again for the sake of a wizarding world that didn't care if he lived or died.

She wanted a wizard that seemed destined to always be out of her reach.

And she wanted him to want her just as badly.

Now he was there, in the pensieve…waiting to take her.

Hermione stared at the bowl, shivered, then once again stuck her finger in it.

"Level two," she breathed.

Hermione was immediately aware of three things. Her entire body aflame, finding it hard to catch her breath and the Potions Master's soft mouth moving over her breasts, his hair dragging across her skin.

"Oh my gods," she sobbed as the wizard's tongue swirled over her nipple.

Hermione could smell the scent of arousal, sandalwood and firewhiskey. Severus' mouth moved up her chest, over her throat and chin, his lips covering every bit of flesh before crashing over her mouth, his tongue wrapping around hers hungrily, his hands all over her body. She could hardly think.

The wizard stopped kissing her, his black eyes blazing down at her before he lifted her and walked toward the end of the bed, falling into it with her, their legs hanging off the edge as he began kissing her again, his body slowly sliding down as his mouth moved over her throat and shoulders, his hands caressing her hips and thighs as he found her breasts again, then moved lower over her belly, approaching her core.

Hermione was writhing and arching, every place his lips touched, smoldering, wanting extinguishing.

"You feel so good…this…this feels so good," she gasped at the wizard, who was kissing around her thighs now, teasing her as Hermione's hands locked in his hair. She felt him stop, and his hands on her thighs, pushing them open and upward, then his mouth, so soft and hot, kissing her sensitive flesh, and she buckled. She felt his fingers part her, then she shrieked as he licked her.

She heard Severus growl, and he held her firmly as he began to work on her in earnest. She felt his finger flick then move downward. He poked her…and suddenly, all activity stopped cold.

The Potions Master raised his head at the same moment Hermione raised hers to see what was wrong. He had a strange look on his face. He suddenly released her and stood.

"No!" she cried, stretching her arms out toward him.

Severus' eyes slowly traveled up her body. His erection was immense. Then he walked around the side of the bed, caught hold of her arm and pulled her upward until the witch's head rested on the pillow. Then he climbed back into the bed, rolling on top of her and looking down at her face, that strange expression still evident.

"Hermione…" he said hoarsely…but he never finished what he was about to say.

Suddenly he shifted up, and Hermione could feel his hardness pressing against her core. He reached down and slid it back and forth over her soft inner skin, the thick head parting and stimulating her, making her arch up and cry out desperately, achingly…she had never known he would feel like this or make her feel like this. It was as if the hunger of her fantasies increased a thousand-fold. She could only begin to describe what felt like tongues of fire licking her lower belly and between her thighs.

"Please," she panted up at the wizard, who watched her silently as she responded to him, his nostrils flared, his lip caught between his teeth.

Severus shifted again against the undulating witch, breathing hard now, and Hermione felt him position himself securely against her. The wizard raised himself up on his hands, his hair framing his pale face as he looked down on her, his eyes intense, focused as he waited for her to calm.

"Be still, Hermione," he said in a low, soothing, coaxing voice. "Easy, witch. Easy."

Hermione, wanting to listen to him, slowed her body's motions as best she could, but she felt so hot inside. So needy.

"Severus…Severus, I want…gods…I want," she said to the wizard, who shuddered slightly. She ached for him to do something…anything.

"I know what you want," he replied softly. "Shhhh."

Hermione stilled. They stared at each other, witch and wizard, poised for consummation, for connection.

"You're beautiful," Severus whispered down at her. "I never once realized how beautiful you are."

Suddenly Severus pulled back and thrust into her quickly, and the witch screamed as he tore through her hymen and filled her with the sweetest, hottest, hardest most enormous fullness she could ever have imagined, the wizard sliding his full length inside her tightness, groaning and holding very still, wrapped in her heat, pulsing.

Hermione could feel tears sliding down the sides of her face. Severus' penetration had hurt, but she felt him buried inside her, his body nestled between her thighs, her body breeched and stretched around him. He was part of her now. Slowly, the wizard drew back, then slid inside her again, groaning louder. Oh that felt so good, that hardness sliding through her.

"Again," she breathed.

Severus began to possess her, slowly and gently at first, the witch thrusting her hips up at him frantically, and out of synch. The wizard stopped and Hermione let out a choked cry.

"Slowly," he breathed. "Push up when I push down, pull back when I pull back. You'll feel what you want to feel."

He thrust into her again, and Hermione met him and felt a little, delicious sting as he hit bottom when he slid through her heat. She let out a little cry and pulled back as he did. He stroked her again, and she met him…the sting a bit harder, and more delicious.

"Yes, that's it witch," the Potions Master growled, starting to move faster, his face contorting as he did so.

Severus began to jerk her body as he took her, his sting becoming a delicious ache inside Hermione, an ache she wanted to last forever as he thrust deep inside her, parting her over and over, the wizard throwing his head back, his hips rising and falling rhythmically, faster and harder as he lost himself in her.

Hermione let go, opening her body and her soul to the wizard claiming her body, driving into her wetness and her need, feeding her desire for his body generously, filling her over and over with his flesh and his lust. Severus hissed his pleasure as he accepted the witch's gift hungrily, dropping and locking his mouth to hers. Severus' pale form rippled over Hermione's body as her hands clutched at his back and pistoning hips, the witch crying out against his lips, her legs wrapping around his undulating body and pulling him closer.

When he felt her legs encircle him Severus began to pound Hermione, and she loved every harsh, lustful penetration. This was what she had wanted since she was old enough to want. The Potions Master taking her insatiably, totally, unmercifully, fulfilling her fantasy with the strength of his body. He was no longer cold, but hot, burning, raging and all consuming, and she had never known any possession like his possession, then or now. Justice never came close to this with her…never took her to this kind of height. This was real…this was what she needed.

Then Severus stopped, Hermione gasping and begging him to continue, telling him she had never felt anything like this in her life. The wizard adjusted himself and threw Hermione's legs over his arms, spreading her thighs wide beneath him and driving back into her center.

Under the barrage of strokes, Severus shifted the witch's cervix, causing Hermione to spasm, scream and burst apart as her orgasm hit her, sending her soaring, her hot, tight sleeve clutching at the wizard's shaft, her soft inner flesh seeming to melt around his hardness.

Severus, caught by surprise, cursed, stiffened, struggling to hold back before he folded, exploding with a cry, filling the witch with his seed as she throbbed around him. He released her legs and wrapped his arms around her quaking body, his own body jerking as he emptied every bit of semen he contained into the witch.

They lay there wrapped around each other, pulsing like human quasars, their consummation complete, Hermione feeling more connected to the wizard softening inside her than to anyone else in her life. She felt his heart pounding against her own, and listened to him try and catch his breath, his face resting against her, his hair caught between their cheeks.

Presently, he said to her, "Any regrets?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'll never regret this Severus."

He looked down at her as if memorizing her face and the tender look in her eyes.

"We'll see how you feel in the morning," he said quietly, withdrawing from her body and gently sliding over to lie beside her. "The beautiful things of night, Hermione, always look different by the light of day."

Hermione felt her heart catch as she met the Potions Master's eyes. They were dark and knowing, as if he foresaw what was coming.

"Withdraw," the witch breathed, her eyes glistening brightly.

She didn't want to see anymore.

* * *

Early the next morning, Severus went to his Head of House office and shuffled through the small pile of first year questionnaires sitting on his desk, looking for a particular one. 

He found it. His black eyes took in Mathias' neat printed handwriting. He had a style very close to his mother's. Severus' normal hand was almost indecipherable, but purposely so. He wrote like a muggle doctor most of the time, but could write legibly if so inclined. Most of the time he wasn't. He read Mathias' responses with interest.

* * *

**First Year Questionnnaire  
Slytherin House  
Head of House: Professor Severus Snape, P.M.**

**Student Name: _Mathias Granger_**

**Age: _11_**

**Father's Name: _Unknown_  
Father's Occupation: _Dead_**

**Mother's Name: _Hermione Granger_  
Mother's Occupation: _Spells Mistress M.O.M._**

**First Contact: _Harry Potter_  
Second Contact: _Ronald Weasley_**

**Favorite Subject: _Potions_  
Secondary Subject: _Charms_**

**Hobbies: _Flying, Quidditch, Martial Arts, Reading, Doing Experiments_  
The Person You Most Admire: _Undecided_**_  
_**Trait You Most Admire: _Intelligence_**_  
_**Your Current Goal: _To become the most accomplished wizard I can_****_.  
_  
Why Do You Think You Were Sorted into Slytherin House?  
_I believe my father was a Slytherin and that I am a lot like him._**_  
_  
**Describe Yourself:**

_**I have black hair, black eyes and pale skin. I think I am going to be tall. I like to stay to myself, read and study. I don't like stupid people and won't stay around them. I don't like silly talk, only interesting conversations. I won't stand for anyone picking on me and will protect myself. I prefer to work alone and learn quickly. According to my mother, I am selfish sometimes, but I don't see it that way. What's mine is mine and I have to look out for it because if it is destroyed, then who will replace it? You have to look out for yourself and what's yours. You shouldn't count on others to do it because sometimes they will let you down, so it's better to count on yourself from the start. I don't like being the center of attention or other people who like to be the center of attention. I prefer to be in the background because I can get more done that way without anyone bothering me. If someone does something to me, I believe in getting even, which my mother says is bad. But I know my mother has done things to get even with people, because of uncle Harry and uncle Ron. What I hate most in the world is being lied to. Sometimes the truth hurts, but I would rather be hurt because of something I know than lied to about it. That's all.**__  
_

**What Do You Believe Slytherin House Can Do For You?**

_**I'm not sure what Slytherin House can do for me. But I like way it allows you to be yourself and not try to make you believe you are perfect. Gryffindor House tries to make everyone sound and act perfect but nobody is perfect and everyone has their bad points. I hate Gryffindor. James Potter is in Gryffindor and he is the biggest idiot there is. Everyone acts like they are the best house, but they're a bunch of posers and just as rotten as anyone else. They aren't honest about it. At least in Slytherin we know we aren't perfect. We can still be brave and loyal too without lying to ourselves. I think Slytherin House will teach me how to use my bad points as well as my good ones. I will learn how to use what I have to get what I want. I also like how competitive Slytherin is, and how we can be sneaky and secretive and it's all right as long as we don't get caught doing anything wrong. I believe that's all right too. My mother doesn't want me here, but I know I belong here. Slytherin is the best house in Hogwarts.**_

* * *

Severus smirked at Mathias' estimation of Gryffindor House. He was a proper Slytherin all right. But the Potions Master frowned slightly over Mathias' contact information. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. It irked him that a boy so obviously Slytherin had his formative years marred by being surrounded by nothing by Gryffindors. Luckily, Mathias seemed to have survived it without getting too screwed up. The only way Severus would contact either Harry or Ron concerning Mathias was if the world was ending. 

Severus reread the boy's questionnaire and paused over Mathias' hobby of doing experiments. He didn't specify what kind of experiments, a definite red flag. Hermione had the habit of brewing illegal potions in bathrooms when she went to Hogwarts. The gods only knew what kind of shady acts Mathias would try. He'd have to keep an eye out. The boy could get into anything.

Hm. The boy had no one he admired? Most children had a hero of some sort. An athlete, a historical figure, or someone they knew. But Mathias was undecided. A very strange answer. But at least he hadn't said Harry Potter.

As far as his "goals" went, Mathias wanted to be "accomplished." That was admirable. Most first years put down things like, I want to be Minister of Magic, or be a Quidditch Star, or the Richest Wizard in the World…something along those lines. Mathias' answer was realistic and ultimately attainable if he applied himself.

Severus stared at the parchment as he reread Mathias' thoughts on why he was placed in Slytherin:

_**I believe my father was a Slytherin and that I am a lot like him.**_

The Potions Master's Adam's apple bobbed up and down for a moment, then he swallowed and continued rereading the questionnaire.

The boy's description of himself opened Severus' eyes quite a bit. He read the line about how Mathias hated to be lied to over and over. The wizard sighed. When it came time to reveal himself, he didn't think the boy was going to react well at all. It would probably be wise to relieve him of his wand beforehand. Hell, the boy liked Martial Arts…Severus might have to prepare himself to be physically attacked.

The wizard shook his head. Gods, this was so complicated. The wisest thing to do was to establish some connection of trust with the boy, which could be done through his position of Head of House…his concern and interest concerning Mathias would be deemed normal. Everyone knew he was biased towards his Slytherins, so any additional attention on his part concerning the boy would automatically be attributed to House nepotism.

The fact that Mathias was indeed going to be a powerful wizard would only make Severus' apparent doting seem a proper Slytherin response. Maneuvering oneself into a position to influence the powerful was the Slytherin way, after all. It shouldn't be difficult to get close to the boy, who needed a strong male Slytherin figure in his life.

Severus put away the questionnaires. He would read the rest later. The wizard next took out an application for a private room and put Mathias' information on it. He would send it to the Headmaster for approval. The sooner he got his son away from his roommates the better. Stupidity wasn't contagious, but if one was steeped in it long enough, it could still be influencing.

The Potions Master could hear stirrings in the Slytherin common room. His charges were getting ready for breakfast. The wizard stretched in his chair, then rose and exited his office, closing and warding the door behind him. He started up the long corridor, heading for breakfast. He rubbed his eyes. He had tossed and turned the whole night, bits and pieces of that long ago tryst with Hermione invading his dreams.

He knew it was because he was curious as to what her reaction would be. Well, it wasn't hard to tell. She was still a Gryffindor and her sense of "fairness" would probably lead to a very uncomfortable apology scene somewhere in the near future.

_"Oh, I'm so, so sorry Severus"_

The wizard snorted.

In his opinion, her treatment of him would be better served by an "I'm sorry" shag. But that would open a whole new can of flubberworms. One that would probably best not be opened, especially considering the uneasy alliance they had just formed. Severus was almost sure Hermione wasn't the kind of witch that could shag a man without investing at least a part of her heart. He couldn't afford even the smallest piece of it having his name on it.

The Potions Master suddenly realized something. That Hermione's viewing of the pensieve brought the occurrences of eleven years ago into her present. Since she had no memory of that night, to the witch it would feel as if her deflowerment was something that occurred recently.

Good gods. Hermione was going to feel like he had just shagged her.

Hopefully her logical mind would override her emotions and she could put it all into perspective…shove that night back into the past where it belonged. Maybe she'd get it out of her system by shagging that Auror she slapped last night, and erase the remembrance of him from her body.

Damn it. Just more complications to worry over.

Severus turned down the corridor that led to the teacher's entrance to the Great Hall. Albus was approaching from the other side, and paused outside the door, waiting for the Potions Master.

"Ah, good morning, Severus," he said to the wizard.

Severus nodded at him.

"Good morning, Headmaster," he replied.

Albus looked around, then lowered his voice.

"I paid Poppy a visit, and removed all her memories concerning healing you and your work for the Order," he said, his blue eyes going dark, "But I'm afraid in the process, I had to remove memories that brought her close to you, Severus. She will no longer be the Poppy you knew. I'm sorry."

Severus looked at him.

Poppy had been a wonderful, caring friend to him, almost like a mother in the way she expressed concern and scolded him while tending his wounds or trying to make him eat that gruel she called food. No one fussed over him the way the medi-witch had. He acted like her attentions annoyed him greatly, but secretly he welcomed them. The wizard was going to miss their interactions. For all intents and purposes, Poppy was yet another casualty of the Dark Lord.

"It had to be done," he said shortly.

"Yes," Albus agreed, placing his hand on the wizard's shoulder in sympathy for a moment, then opening the door to the Great Hall. "Shall we go in?"

Severus entered the hall, followed by Albus. No sooner than he had taken his seat, then a snowy white owl landed before him, sticking out one scaly leg and hooting softly. The Potions Master looked at the bird, who seemed very familiar. A parchment was tied to its leg. He removed the parchment, and the owl flew off, not waiting for a reward.

Severus opened the parchment and read it.

**_Dear Severus,_**

**_I would like to speak to you as soon as possible. I realize this is a busy time for you as you have new students to attend to. Please owl me back and let me know when you are available to meet with me._**

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Hermione Granger_**

Severus sighed. Yes, the Gryffindor gene was definitely asserting itself. The first thing the witch had probably done when dawn hit was write this message and sent it to Hogwarts.

A very wicked part of the wizard rose to the fore.

_"Meet with her. Most likely she'll still be so hot for you, you'll be able shag her again."  
_  
Severus' black eyes narrowed.

Then, a less wicked part of him made itself known. He was Severus Snape…he really didn't have an angelic side. Less wicked was as good as it got.

_"Don't meet with her now. Put it off a few weeks until it isn't so fresh in her mind, then talk with her. She'll be less emotional."  
_  
Severus looked thoughtful.

_"Shag her,"_ his wicked side urged.

_"No. Let it go,"_ his less wicked side insisted.

Then both sides started arguing with each other.

_"He deserves to get laid again after the way she treated him!"_

_"That was years ago! He doesn't need that kind of trouble!"_

_"Since when is trim ever trouble?"_

_"When it's attached to Hermione Granger!"_

Severus shook his head to shut the voices up and ordered his breakfast. He'd owl the witch before his first class.

He wasn't sure how he would answer her.

* * *

Mathias lay in his bed in his boxers as his roommates dressed for breakfast. He was reading over his class schedule. He had the following core classes: 

Astronomy Twice a week Midnight  
Charms Every Day  
Defense Against the Dark Arts Three times a week  
Herbology Twice a week  
History of Magic Everyday  
Potions Every Day  
Transfiguration Three Times a week

Mathias liked most of his classes, but he really felt he could do without History of Magic. The teacher was a ghost, Professor Binns who seemed to have only one tone and never asked any questions. He just talked, talked, talked from the beginning of class until the end of it. History that should have been exciting was plain boring, and Mathias had a hard time staying awake. And he had to go every single day.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was interesting too. A really cool teacher named Mr. Delaluci taught it. He wasn't a Professor, but he had violet eyes that he could turn completely black. He was tall, broad and blonde with bushy eyebrows and he smiled a lot. Most of the witches were already in love with him. He showed them a boggart on their second day. It was locked in a closet and took on the appearance of whatever the student was afraid of most.

Jasmine's boggart turned into a replica of herself, but her hair was all frizzy, she was dressed in rags, and dirty. The witch screamed and ran away. James Potter's boggart was very scary, it turned into his father. He was dead. James just stared at it. He couldn't cast the riddikulous spell. Mathias felt a little bad for him. But just a little…it was just a boggart after all.

Edwina Longbottom's boggart turned into Professor Snape, which Mathias thought was really cool. She cast the riddikulus spell and put him in a pink tutu with a tiara and a fairy wand with a star on top in his pale hand. He started prancing around the room, kicking his legs up and mincing about on his toes. He was pretty good, actually. All the Slytherins were very pissed off at her, while all the Gryffindor students, including Mr. Delaluci, howled with laughter.

Mathias didn't get a chance to go, which he was very disappointed about, because he had no idea what he was scared of the most, but when Mr. Delaluci went to put the boggart away, it turned into a very pregnant witch in a wedding dress. The teacher's face turned completely white and he blasted the boggart back into the closet, slamming the door behind it.

It seemed the riddikulus spell wasn't the only one that worked on boggarts.

Astronomy was all right, but required them to go to the Astronomy Tower at midnight to gaze at the stars. Professor Sinistra taught it, naming the constellations and telling stories about them.

Herbology was really interesting. Professor Sprout showed them how to harvest Snapdragons, which were very supple plants about two feet high with green, scaly-looking blooms that looked like dragon heads, and two flexible jagged leaves. They snapped viciously at anything that came close and shot out little tongues of fire. They could easily bite off a finger.

Professor Sprout sprayed it with a solution of Dragonsbane, which made the plant go stock still, then quickly grabbed it by the back of the bloom and the stem, then yanked it out of the pot. Once they were out of the soil, Snapdragons lost their snap. But you had to move fast. Dragonsbane worked only about five seconds.

The snapdragons were for show though. They wouldn't be working with any dangerous plants until their second year.

Transfiguration class was all right, but Mathias saw immediately that the teacher, Professor McGonagall clearly favored the Gryffindors. She awarded them more than fifty points while Slytherin only got ten. Mathias didn't hold it against her, however. She was the Head of Gryffindor House after all, and wasn't nearly as bad as Professor Snape, who outrageously gave the Gryffindors what for every chance he got. They needed her to help get the points he took back.

Charms was interesting just because Professor Flitwick always ended up getting accidentally spelled. He was so little that anything could make him fly across the room. The second day, he was teaching the class the Wingardium Leviosa spell, and was lifted to the ceiling by Boyle when he tried to cast the spell on a large feather. His aim must have been off. At least he did the spell successfully. Mathias dumbed himself down in Charms class, pretending to struggle like the other students before casting the simple spells. Life was much easier that way.

Potions was the best class. Professor Snape ruled with an iron wand. Mathias liked to watch him stride back and forth across the room, scowling, his robes billowing as he taught the class. He also liked when he demonstrated how to brew, his hands careful and meticulous as he cut, chopped and added ingredients to the cauldron, all the while keeping up a running dialogue, explaining what he was doing, and the properties of the items he was working with. He was very clean too, alternating between chopping and scourgifying his workspace and the tools he used. Mathias watched him very carefully and tried to emulate everything he did when he had them make a simple base for a healing potion. Only three ingredients were involved and it gave the Professor a chance to see how they worked.

But woe to the student who made stupid mistakes. The Professor could not abide dunderheads in the least.

"If you're not sure what to do, ask me," he said to the class imperiously. "Don't add an ingredient or stir a mixture if you are not sure what it will do."

Of course, the students didn't listen. They were scared to ask him anything because of how he glared at them. Mathias thought that was pretty stupid. Who cared how he looked as long as he told you what to do? The Professor had glared at him several times when he repeatedly asked him questions, once even saying he was as annoying as his mother had been. Mathias didn't care. He wanted to know how to make the potion correctly. He didn't take the Professor's reactions personally. He instinctively knew that's just how the wizard was with everyone. And the Gryffindors got it worse, which made him feel infinitely better.

James Potter lost Gryffindor House fifteen points for speaking without raising his hand. He got a lecture on classroom etiquette, punctuated with comments about him being as thick and attention seeking as his father and grandfather. The Professor really let him have it. James was red as a beet by the time he left Potions. Mathias felt like building the Professor a shrine. James was so used to everyone fawning all over him, Mathias thought he needed to be given a dose of reality. Professor Snape certainly did that.

"Aren't you coming to breakfast?" Charles asked Mathias, hovering over the bed. Gerald joined him, looking at the pale wizard expectantly.

Mathias' black eyes rested on them for a moment. He folded up his schedule and set it on the night stand by his bed, then looked back at the pair.

"Yes, but you can go ahead. I don't need an entourage to go eat," he replied.

He wasn't trying to hang out with his roommates. They had both laughed when Boyle tried to beat him up. Mathias was very like Severus when it came to holding grudges. He didn't forget and didn't forgive easily.

"What's an entourage?" Boyle asked, barreling up and looking at Mathias stupidly.

"You three," Mathias answered him, rolling his eyes. What an idiot.

Boyle processed this.

"Oh," he said, shrugging. "Let's go then."

The three wizards exited the room.

"Mathias is stuck up," Gerald commented as they walked down the stairs. "He thinks he's better than us."

"Fuck him," Boyle said, "He's anti…anti…"

"Antisocial?" Charles offered.

"Yeah. That," Boyle replied.

"Not with Jasmine," Gerald observed as they walked into the common room, avoiding the older students who tried to bump into them purposely as they headed for the exit. "He talks to her."

Boyle scowled at Gerald.

"He talks to Jasmine?" he asked Gerald.

"Yep. They were in a conversation when we went to the Great Hall. He was sitting next to her and everything," Gerald replied.

Actually, Jasmine had sat down next to Mathias and started talking to him.

"Well, he'd better leave her alone. My dad said I was to look out for her," Boyle said, frowning. "Like he used to look out for her father."

"She seems to like him. She was smiling at him," Gerald said as they entered the dungeon corridor and walked toward the main hall.

"I don't care. Mathias is an antisocial weirdo. She doesn't need to hang around him. I'm going to tell her too," Boyle said.

Gerald and Charles looked at each other. Boyle was big but Jasmine was something else.

A very rich and spoiled witch used to having her way. If she wanted to talk to Mathias, then that's what she was going to do.

"Er…I don't know if that's smart, Boyle. Jasmine's kind of used to doing what she wants. I've been to her house. Her dad lets her do anything she wants. She might not like you telling her what to do," Charles said, looking a bit worried.

"My dad said I was to look after her. She'll listen when she realizes that's what I'm doing," Boyle said confidently. "I'll tell her at breakfast to stay away from Mathias."

Both Gerald and Charles shook their heads.

"If that's what you want to do, Boyle. Just wait until I get a couple of seats away, all right?" Charles said.

Boyle frowned at his roomies. Jasmine was a witch. Witches listened to wizards. His mother jumped anytime his dad said a word…if she didn't she knew what she'd get. Not that he'd hit Jasmine though. But he could make her listen.

Boyle was making a rather large mistake. Maybe in the small universe of his household wizards ruled, but in the real world…it was witches all the way. They were subtle though and knew how to do it so the men never really knew. Yet, there were times to be subtle and times to let the claws out.

Boyle was heading into a rakefest.

The wizards turned into the Main Hall and headed for breakfast. Boyle pulled open the double doors and looked at the Slytherin table. Yes, there was Jasmine, surrounded by several other first year girls.

"Watch this," he said to Gerald and Charles confidently.

He walked up to the table and stood behind Jasmine. All the first year witches looked at him, scowling at his proximity. Boyle was an oaf. A big oaf.

"Jasmine, I need to talk to you," he said in a gruff, no-nonsense voice.

Jasmine turned around in her seat, her ice blue eyes raking over the wizard.

"What could you possibly have to say to me, Boyle?" she asked him, her nose wrinkling up in distaste.

"My dad told me to look out for you. I don't want you talking to Mathias. He's bad news," the wizard said, folding his arms.

Jasmine stared at him, as did the witches with her, their eyes narrowing.

"What?" she asked him, incredulously.

"You're not to talk to Mathias," he said again.

Jasmine swung her legs over the bench and stood up, her fists clenched at her sides.

"How dare you try to tell me whom to associate with you big troll!" she yelled at him.

Boyle looked shocked. This wasn't how his mother reacted when his father told her what to do. The other witches gathered around him.

"Yeah! Who do you think you are to tell Jasmine who she can talk to?" one of the witches demanded.

"You aren't her father," another red-haired Slytherin witch informed him.

"If you think you are going to follow me around like your dad followed my father, you are crazy! I don't need you to look after me!" Jasmine seethed. "And if you try, I will hex you into next week, you dolt!"

She pushed him and Boyle staggered back.

Gerald and Charles watched as the witches surrounded Boyle, yelling, screaming and pushing him. The big wizard didn't know what to do. He couldn't hit witches.

"You're supposed to listen," Boyle said to Jasmine lamely as the witches drove him back. The noise attracted the attention of the staff table.

Severus was watching the scenario before him, calmly chewing a piece of bacon. Professor McGonagall, who was seated down the table a bit, leaned forward.

"Professor Snape, don't you think you should do something about this? They're your charges after all," she said, looking from him to the crowd of witches around Boyle.

Severus looked at the witch, then back at the stricken wizard.

"Professor McGonagal, Mr. Goyle is learning an important lesson. That a wizard should never make demands of a witch when she is surrounded by reinforcements. They are hard enough to handle when they are by themselves," he said silkily. "He'll be fine."

He picked up another piece of bacon and watched as the witches drove Boyle from the Great Hall, pushing and browbeating the wizard until he had no choice but to retreat. They followed him to the double doors and pulled them closed behind him, then walked back to the Slytherin table, Jasmine leading the way, all of them clucking and cackling angrily about Boyle's nerve as they sat down and started their breakfasts.

Gerald shook his head.

"Poor Boyle. We tried to tell him," he said to Charles, who was staring at the witches wide-eyed.

"They're dangerous when they're in a pack like that," Charles replied, "He's lucky he survived."

The wizard pulled a platter of toast and jam towards him and put a couple of slices on his plate, then slid it over to Gerald, who took a few pieces as well.

"I guess he's going to have to tell his dad he was fired before he was hired," Gerald said, biting into the toast, jam lining his lips as he chewed.

Severus shook his head as he looked at the cackling young witches. They certainly started young. Mr. Goyle had just survived his first foray into the henhouse. He was lucky it only cost him his breakfast.

At that moment, Mathias pushed open the double doors and walked up the aisle toward the Slytherin table. All the witches stopped cackling and looked at him, then at Jasmine, who gave a slow smile. Severus didn't like it a bit.

As the young wizard walked by, all the witches said in unison, "Hi, Mathias!"

The wizard paused, his black eyes washing over the smiling witches. He had no idea why they were all smiling at him, but decided he'd rather have witches smiling at him than wizards. Mathias gave them a small smile and continued on. They all giggled uncontrollably as he sat down.

Severus watched as Jasmine separated herself from the crowd, strolled over and sat down beside his son. She said something to him, and Mathias nodded. She pulled a platter over and started filling both hers and the young wizard's plates.

"And he's just eleven," the Potions Master mused to himself. "Maybe I'd better include first years in the annual sexual education seminar this year."

Severus watched as Jasmine fed a reluctant Mathias a bit of toast with jam and shook his head.

His son was in for an interesting time at Hogwarts.

* * *

Hermione was rather tired when she arrived at the Ministry the next morning. She hadn't slept well, then when daylight broke, she got up and wrote a quick letter to Severus, asking to see him. The witch wasn't sure how she would react to seeing the wizard after experiencing him so recently in the pensieve, but she wanted to apologize. 

Hermione knew it probably wouldn't mean anything to the wizard. Severus had eleven years to get over "the morning after." He probably didn't even care anymore. But the incident was fresh to Hermione, and the wizard had been patient and gods, so good.

She had wanted him by night, then rejected him by day. Even though she had no recollection of it, she still felt as if she had wronged him. Hermione was the type of person guilt slowly devoured. She already had the guilt of the lie she told Mathias working on her psyche. She couldn't handle the extra guilt she felt about the Potions Master. She needed to clear it up. She hoped he would be able to see her soon.

As she walked through the Spells Department towards her office, Hermione felt as if every employee in the Spells area was watching her surreptiously, peering from behind parchments, ambling to their doors or just blatantly staring. Her brow furrowed as she walked to her office and opened the door.

She gasped.

Her entire office was filled with roses. They were on her desk, all the chairs, on top of her file cabinets and almost covered every inch of floor space. A pink banner was strung over her desk that read

_"Forgive Me Please"_

Hermione sighed. Justice. Justice did this.

The witch picked her way through the flowers and walked behind her desk, taking roses off her swivel chair and desk, squeezing them on the floor with the other roses. How the hell was she supposed to get any work done?

Agnes, the Department Head appeared in the doorway, a wry smile on her face as her gray eyes scanned Hermione's office. Her salt and pepper hair was drawn back in an efficient bun, and the age lines around her mouth and eyes tightened in mirth.

"I take it you and Justice are on the outs?" she asked the witch, entering Hermione's office.

"We certainly are," Hermione replied, a scowl on her face.

"He doesn't seem to be taking it well. He came to me this morning to get permission to leave some flowers in your office. He looked terrible. His eyes were all red and he had stubble on his face. Looked like he tied one on and didn't get enough rest. Anyway, I told him he could put the flowers in your office, thinking it was a bouquet. He walked back into the main area, whistled and waved his arm. Suddenly a whole army of Aurors marched in, every single one of carrying at least three vases of roses. They just kept coming until…well you can see for yourself," Agnes said looking around the room. "They must have cost him a fortune. He must be in a lot of trouble with you."

"He is. I don't want to see him anymore," Hermione replied, looking exasperated as she tried to move the flowers around. Finally she pulled out her wand and made a sweeping motion.

"Rosa Reduco," she said.

Immediately all the roses in the room were reduced to about three inches high. Hermione made another motion with her wand and they all moved to one side of the room. Then she pulled the banner down and rolled it up, placing it on top of the file cabinet.

"Much better," she said, sitting down at her desk. Agnes looked at her consideringly.

"Haven't you been seeing Justice for years now?" she asked Hermione.

"Yes, five years," the witch responded.

"That's a lot of time invested in one wizard. You're ready to just walk away? You aren't willing to try and work whatever the problem is out? Justice really is one of the good ones," Agnes said, pulling up a chair and sitting down in front of Hermione's desk. "What did he do?"

Hermione looked at the open office door. Agnes pulled out her wand and pointed it over her shoulder, shutting the door, then put the wand away, looking at Hermione expectantly. Agnes and Hermione had a good working relationship. Her department Head was almost like a second mother at times. Hermione could talk to her better than she could with Ginny, because she knew Ginny would tell Harry and sometimes Hermione didn't want Harry to know certain things. If she wanted Harry to know, she would have talked to him herself. Whatever she shared with Agnes, stayed with Agnes.

"He accused me of sleeping with another wizard because he saw me coming down the stairs at the Three Broomsticks Inn," Hermione said, frowning. "He grabbed me by the arm and made a public scene."

"I see," Agnes said, nodding, "Why were you coming down the stairs in the inn?"

"I had a private meeting with someone. I told Justice I had to go to a meeting," Hermione said, "Just because I had it in the room of an inn doesn't mean I was flat on my back, Agnes."

"No, it doesn't, Hermione," Agnes agreed, looking thoughtful, "Can I ask you something personal?"

Hermione looked at her department head. Agnes rarely asked personal questions. She probably had a good reason for doing so.

"Go ahead," Hermione said, her eyes meeting the witch's.

"Is there someone else you are interested in?" Agnes asked her, studying the witch's face.

Hermione hesitated just a moment too long.

"No," she said.

Agnes nodded at her, then stood up.

"Maybe it is time for you to move on. You've been with Justice five years and haven't moved forward at all. He must not be the one," the witch said. "You hesitated just a bit too long when I asked you if there was anyone else. Which usually means there is."

Hermione scowled.

"I'm not interested in anyone else, Agnes," she claimed, the pensieve coming to mind. She forced it back down.

The older witch raised her eyebrows at Hermione.

"You're turning awfully red for a witch not interested in someone else," Agnes commented with a knowing smile. "I just think your head hasn't caught up with your heart yet. I'll see you later, Hermione."

Agnes opened the door and exited the witch's office. Hermione frowned after her.

"My head hasn't caught up to my heart yet," she snorted, "Agnes has no idea what she's talking about. My head and heart are just fine."

An image of Severus' face contorted with pleasure popped into her head.

"Get out, dammit!" she said, just as Harold, a Ministry employee opened the door with a letter in his hand.

"Oh. All right, Miss Granger," he said nervously, starting to pull the door closed.

"No!" Hermione yelled at him. He froze, looking startled and unsure.

Hermione calmed.

"No, Harold, come in," she said.

The red-haired, freckled faced wizard opened the door wider and entered, leaving the door open behind him. He walked up and handed the parchment to Hermione.

"This came for you by owl," he said, backing away.

Hermione looked at it. It had a Hogwarts seal. It must be from Severus. Her heart began to pound.

"Thank you, Harold," the witch said, her eyes glued to the parchment.

"You're welcome, Miss Granger," Harold said, backing out of the room and slowly closing the door. The witch was in a strange mood this morning.

Hermione broke the seal on the letter, her belly flipping over as she did so. Her amber eyes shifted back and forth as she read the letter.

**_Dear Hermione,_**

**_I'm afraid my schedule is quite full for the next month, being that this is the beginning of a new school term. I will be unable to meet with you for several weeks. I will contact you when I have time available._**

**_Professor Severus Snape P.M.._**

Hermione folded the letter, furious. The Professor was purposely avoiding her. Several weeks indeed. She knew full well he could make time if he wanted to. The truth was, he didn't want to. Fine. She'd wait.

Hermione put the parchment in her robes pocket and pulled the pile of paperwork sitting on her desk toward her, brushing off a few rose petals. She picked up her quill and started working.

Three hours later, Hermione was still working totally absorbed in the latest spell development, checking feasibility and scheduling demonstrations. There was a knock on the door. Hermione looked up.

Justice was standing outside, looking repentant and holding up a little white bag. He pointed at the doorknob.

Hermione's chest tightened. She waved him in.

Justice opened the door and walked in. Agnes was right. He did look terrible. He had stubble on his chin and his eyes were red-rimmed. He walked up to her desk and set the bag on it.

"I brought you a sandwich. I know how you work through lunch," he said, pulling up a chair and sitting down.

Hermione just looked at him, not saying anything.

Justice blinked at her. There was a coldness coming off the witch that made his heart hurt. He looked at the reduced roses piled on one side of the room.

"I see you got the flowers," he said.

Hermione looked at him with cold eyes.

"Yes I did, but you needn't have bothered sending them, Justice. We're finished," she said.

Justice's eyebrows raised.

"Finished? Just like that, Hermione? Can't we talk this over?" he asked her.

"There's nothing to talk about. Once you grabbed me in anger and publicly accused me of shagging another wizard, you cut yourself off, Justice. I won't be treated that way by you or anyone," the witch said. "I want you to come by the house this evening and get your things."

Justice had a few articles of clothing at Hermione's house.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. It's just that you've broken our dates, you haven't let me touch you in over a month, and when I saw you at the Three Broomsticks, I just lost it. It looked like you were having an affair," he said, his eyes glistening.

"Only married witches can have affairs, and I'm not married," Hermione replied.

"I know. You've refused me every time I asked you to marry me, Hermione. I've waited five years for you," the wizard said, his heart breaking.

"You don't have to wait any longer," the witch said. "You can find a witch who will marry you now."

Justice stared at her.

"I want you," he said plaintively.

Hermione sighed.

"Justice, don't make this harder than it has to be. You're a good-looking wizard. You'll find someone else. I just want to be left alone," Hermione said. "It's over. I don't want to be involved with you anymore."

Justice went through the agony. Now the anger came out.

"I know what's going on, Hermione. You really are shagging someone else," he breathed.

Hermione scowled at him.

"It's time to go, Justice," she said in a low voice.

"I can look at you and tell," he said, staring at the witch.

Hermione's eyes shifted uncomfortably

Justice pointed at her. "There! There! Your eyes always shift when you're lying. Who is he, Hermione? Who's been outdoing me in the sack?"

Hermione pulled her wand out and pointed it at Justice.

"Get the fuck out of here, Justice. I swear to the gods I'll hex you," she seethed.

Justice rose.

"Fine. I give you five years of my life and you go shag another wizard. If you were tired of me, why didn't you just say so? Why did you have to do it like this?" he asked her.

"I didn't do anything, Justice," she said.

"You're lying. Some other wizard got to you," the Auror said, walking towards the door. "And I'm going to beat him to a pulp if I ever find out who he is, because he's taken what belonged to me."

"I never belonged to you, Justice. I'm my own person. Now go. I'll see you this evening when you come get your things," Hermione said, still pointing the wand at him.

Justice exited the office, slamming the door behind him and stalking away.

Hermione slowly lowered her wand. That had been ugly.

She looked at the white bag on her desk, picked it up and dropped it in the wastebasket.

* * *

At about six that evening, there was a knock on the door. Hermione, who was in the kitchen making soup the muggle way, wiped her hands on her apron, walked through the living room and opened the door. Justice was standing there, his face dark. 

"I've come to get my things," he said shortly, his brown eyes raking over her angrily.

"Fine," Hermione said, stepping aside and letting him in. Her wand was in her pocket. "You know where they are."

Justice grunted and strode past her, heading for the bedroom.

Hermione returned to the kitchen.

Justice entered the bedroom and walked over to the closet. He opened it and took out two shirts and three pairs of trousers. Then he walked over to her dresser, opened the second drawer and removed some socks and silk boxers. That was all he had there. The wizard turned to exit the bedroom when his eyes fell on a gaudily colored bowl sitting on the nightstand by Hermione's bed. He walked over and looked at it. Silver liquid was swirling inside.

A pensieve. Hm. Why was it next to her bed?

Justice looked at the bedroom door and listened. He didn't hear anyone. Hermione had on an apron when he came in, so she was probably cooking. Justice placed his clothing on the bed, then sat down on it himself.

"Let's just see what little memories are in here," he breathed

The Auror stuck his finger in the pensieve.

* * *

Hermione turned the burner under the soup on low and listened to see if she could hear the wizard leaving. There was no sound, but she knew he hadn't left yet. She would have heard the front door open and close. What was Justice doing? He didn't have that many clothes. Hermione untied her apron and laid it on the back of a kitchen chair and headed toward the bedroom. 

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

The witch began to tiptoe, and peered around the corner of the bedroom door to see Justice sitting on the bed, a look of disbelief plastered on his face and a finger stuck inside the pensieve.

Dear gods!

"What are you doing?" the witch screamed at the Auror, who didn't respond. He was still in the pensieve.

Hermione ran over and snatched the pensieve off the nightstand. The Justice came around, blinking. He had just come to the part where Severus had laid the witch on the bed, kissed his way down her body and started licking her between her thighs.

Justice looked at the witch, his eyes cold.

"I thought you didn't like oral sex," he said.

"Get your clothes and get out, Justice," Hermione replied. She was a little scared at the way the Auror was looking at her.

"You never responded to me like that. Said things like that. Reacted like that when I touched you, Hermione. Never," he said in a low voice. "Do you have any idea what it's like to watch my witch tell another wizard the things you told him? Watch you let him do things to you that you wouldn't let me do? Watch his mouth move all over your body while you begged for more? Gods, Hermione…did you ever love me?"

"Justice, it's not what you think," Hermione said in a small voice. But she didn't want to tell him that memory happened eleven years ago. He'd put two and two together and realize Severus was Mathias' father.

"Did you ever love me?" Justice demanded, standing up and towering over the witch.

"You were there, Justice," Hermione said softly. "I cared about you…"

"But did you love me?" he demanded again.

"I don't know if I did, Justice," the witch said, "But you were fun, handsome…"

Justice stared at Hermione. For a moment, just one crazy emotion-filled moment, he felt like raping her. Hurting her. Punishing her for being unfaithful to him and leading him on all these years. His brown eyes raked over the petite witch, standing there holding that damn pensieve, looking at him wide-eyed. She looked rather scared now. It wouldn't be hard to overpower her. It wouldn't be hard at all to make her pay for hurting him.

No, he wouldn't do anything to Hermione. But the wizard, he was a different story…Justice knew who he was and where he was.

Hermione's heart was pounding, the Auror's eyes took on a very evil glint for a moment. He looked frightening, as if he were thinking about hurting her. She'd left her wand in her robes pocket in the kitchen. She was dressed in jeans and a white pullover shirt. Totally defenseless against the wizard.

"Handsome didn't seem to matter in that pensieve. I know who that wizard is, Hermione. He teaches at Hogwarts. Professor Snape. He's got to be twice your age," the Auror said. "I guess he outshagged me, right? Now you want him."

"Justice you've got it all wrong," she said, "He's not the reason we are breaking up. I just need a change. Mathias is gone off to school now, things are changing…I'm changing. I don't want a committed relationship any more. It's been a long time coming…but you grabbing me last night showed me I needed to go ahead and tell you…"

Justice frowned at her.

"Tell me, Hermione…did you go down on him after he went down on you?" the Auror asked, his brown eyes hard. "You've never gone down on me."

"Justice…" Hermione said, her eyes glistening. "Just listen to me…"

"You know something? Fuck you, you slut. I'm out of here," Justice seethed, grabbing his clothes and striding toward the bedroom door.

He turned to her.

"I'm glad I didn't marry you, Hermione. I'd probably have ended up sleeping with half the wizarding world," he said nastily. Then he left.

Hermione set the pensieve back on the nightstand, then sat on the bed, hugging herself. She didn't think the situation could get much uglier than it did in her office, but it did. Why did she leave the pensieve out? She wasn't thinking.

Justice thought she had shagged Severus recently and willingly. He had no idea it happened eleven years ago and despite how it looked, she had no memory of the actual act. Well, she did now, thanks to level two. This was awful.

But one thing was certain now…she and Justice were truly over. After viewing that pensieve, he would never want her back. Hermione hoped he'd get over her soon and find someone to love him the way he wanted.

She wasn't the one he needed.

* * *

Justice minimized his clothing and stuck it in his robes pocket. His expression was terrible as he apparated to Hogsmeade. 

He reappeared at an apparation point near the Three Broomsticks Inn and strode toward the establishment, heedlessly bumping into witches and wizards as he did so and not saying a word. He walked into the Inn and straight to Madame Rosmerta, who was washing glasses behind the bar. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Hello, Mr. Forall, back again?" she said…then her smile faded as she saw the look in his eyes.

"I'm here in an official capacity, Rosmerta," the wizard lied. "I need to see your guest book."

Rosmerta didn't even ask the Auror why as she reached under the bar and retrieved the book for the Auror. She just hoped she wasn't in any kind of trouble.

"Here you go," she said, sliding the book over to him.

Justice leafed through the book of signatures until he came to last night's listing. Rosmerta had let six rooms. One of them was to Professor Severus Snape. Room eighteen.

"I need the key to room eighteen," he said to the witch, closing the book.

Rosmerta retrieved the key and gave it to him. The Auror took it, walked across the restaurant area and up the stairs two at a time. Rosmerta watched him disappear around the corner worriedly. She hoped nothing illegal went on in her inn.

Justice arrived at room eighteen and opened the door. He walked in and looked around.  
Yes. It was the same room Hermione and the wizard were in when he viewed the pensieve.

Justice's hands balled into fists, and his mouth twisted into a snarl as he looked at the bed. The bed where the wizard had taken the witch he loved. Gods, how Hermione had responded to the wizard. That was the worst part. It was easy to see how badly she wanted to be shagged by the Potions Master. Justice always had to coax sex out of Hermione, practically beg her before she would give in.

Justice was glad he hadn't actually seen the wizard shag her. He wouldn't have been able to take it and probably would have trashed the witch's bedroom, maybe even done something terrible to Hermione without meaning to.

Justice's eyes went dark as he imagined Severus shagging Hermione.

The dark wizard better have gotten his pleasure from the witch, because he was going to experience a world of pain for taking her.

The Auror spun on his heel and exited the room.

He had to pay a certain witch-stealing Professor a visit.

* * *

Severus had finished his supper and walked toward his Potions office. He had some marking to complete as well as the rest of the questionnaires to read. As the wizard walked he wondered how Hermione had reacted to the letter he sent her. His less wicked side won out, and he decided not to talk to the witch when her deflowerment was so fresh in her mind and his imprint psychologically still on her body. He also wondered if she went level two. 

Gods, if she had…

Severus opened his office door and walked inside, leaving the door open just in case one of his new Slytherins were in need of something. The first week was unsettling for them, homesickness being the most common ailment, though not one of them would dare confess this openly out of fear of being seen as a baby by the rest of their housemates.

The wizard sat down behind his desk, opened the top drawer and took out the rest of the questionnaires. He had brought them here earlier in the day, intending on reading them. Jasmine Malfoy's parchment was on top. This ought to be a hoot. It didn't seem very long either. Severus started reading. Where the hell had the witch gotten pink ink? The Potions Master squinted.

* * *

**First Year Questionnnaire  
Slytherin House  
Head of House: Professor Severus Snape, P.M.**

**Student Name: _Lady Jasmine Narcissa Malfoy_**

**Age: _11_**

**Father's Name: _Lord Draco Malfoy_  
Father's Occupation: _Esteemed Council Member of the Ministry of Magic_**

**Mother's Name: _Lady Eloise Malfoy_  
Mother's Occupation: _Mistress of Malfoy Manor_**

**First Contact: _Lord Lucius Malfoy_  
Second Contact: _Lady Narcissa Malfoy_**

**Favorite Subject: _Defense Against the Dark Arts_  
Secondary Subject: _Charms_**

**Hobbies: _Shopping_  
The Person You Most Admire: _My Father_  
Trait You Most Admire: _Power_  
Your Current Goal: _To marry a rich and powerful wizard._**

**Why Do You Think You Were Sorted into Slytherin House?  
****_Malfoys have always been sorted to Slytherin House. Father says Slytherin is in our blood.  
_  
Describe Yourself:**

_**I have beautiful blue eyes, lovely white-blonde hair and soft, fair skin. I am going to be tall and leggy like my grandmother. **_

**What Do You Believe Slytherin House Can Do For You?**

_**Slytherin House is going to help me learn how develop and practice my charms as I grow older. Not magical charms, my own personal charms. My grandmother says I have to learn to use them properly and Hogwarts has enough wizards to practice on while Slytherin house will teach me how to use my charms to my own advantage. Slytherin might help me pick a future husband too.**_

* * *

Severus sighed. Jasmine came to Hogwarts on the prowl. She was going to be a handful in the coming years, Severus was sure of it. Her grandmother Narcissa used to make wizards fight over her for fun. Well, Mathias ought to be safe from her claws when they came of age. There was no way Draco would let his little girl have a relationship with a wizard of questionable ancestry. 

Severus shuffled to the next parchment. He was about to start reading when he felt eyes on him.

He looked up.

In the doorway stood a tall, blonde-haired brown-eyed wizard. Severus recognized him. It was the wizard Hermione had slapped last night at the Three Broomsticks.

"May I help you, Mr…?" Severus asked, his eyes raking over him.

The wizard entered the Potions Master's office and walked up to his desk.

"Forall," Justice said, his eyes glittering, "Mr. Justice Forall. But you can call me the wizard who's going to kick your ass."

And the wizard punched the Potions Master squarely in the face, knocking him backwards over the chair, the wizard landing heavily on the stone floor.

"Get up," Justice seethed.

The Potions Master slowly rose from the floor, straightened his robes and felt his nose, his black eyes blazing. It wasn't broken or bleeding, but hurt like hell.

"I presume this is about Hermione Granger," Severus said to the Auror as he began to unbutton his robes. "Judging by your attack on me, I imagine nothing I can say will sink in, so let us take this to the school grounds, Mr. Forall. I fear my office is too small for physical altercations. I take it this will remain physical, or are you prepared to duel?"

"Physical is just fine with me, you witch-stealing son of a bitch," Justice said through gritted teeth.

Severus removed his robes, picked up the overturned chair and neatly laid the robes on the back of it. He then unfastened his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves.

"I assure you Mr. Forall, I have stolen no part of Hermione Granger," the Potions Master said as he unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt.

"You've stolen parts of her all right. I saw it in a pensieve, plus I went to the Three Broomsticks and checked out the room you booked last night, Professor. It was the same room you two had your 'meeting' in," Justice snarled. "It might be over between Hermione and I, but I'm going to get some satisfaction too, my way. You took something I treasured. I want blood in return."

Severus reached into his top drawer, retrieved a rather thick black rubberband and tied his lanky black hair into a pony tail.

"You are making a mistake, Mr. Forall, but if it's blood you want I shall be happy to provide it for you. I just hope you don't mind if it is your own," Severus said, taking out his wand and laying it on the top of his desk. He looked at the Auror expectantly. "Your wand, Mr. Forall? We wouldn't want to tempt fate should either of us lose fairly."

Justice took out his wand and waited for Severus to walk around the desk before he laid it next to the wizard's wand. Severus gestured toward the door, and Justice exited. The Potions Master followed him, locking his office door securely.

The two wizards walked up the dungeon corridor silently. Justice surreptiously sized the dark wizard up. He already knew he was lean and muscular. He'd seen him naked after all. And that was something else that bothered him. The pale wizard was better endowed sexually than he was, so most likely had given Hermione an experience the Auror couldn't match.

Justice growled deep in his chest. He was going to beat the wizard into unconsciousness.

Severus looked straight ahead as they walked, centering himself for battle. Damn it. Here he was getting ready to fight a wizard over trim he'd gotten over eleven years ago. What the fuck was Hermione thinking, letting the man get hold of that pensieve? Mr. Forall must not have viewed the whole of it, or he'd know that Hermione had been a virgin and that the memory was an old one. The wizard thought he'd shagged her last night at the inn.

Severus scowled.

Shit. Hermione Granger was nothing but trouble, even if he wasn't shagging her. He might have to rethink that. If he were going to fight over the witch, then he deserved something for his trouble other than aches, pains and possibly broken bones.

They reached the main hall, turned and walked toward the main doors. Curious students on their way to study watched the two silent, straight-faced wizards stride to the exit and leave the castle, the Potions Master not wearing his customary billowing robes and his shirtsleeves rolled up. That was odd. Something was going on. But it was getting late so they couldn't follow and spy on the wizards, no matter how curious they were.

Once outside, Severus looked at Justice appraisingly. The wizard looked as if he could fight. But Severus was a seasoned fighter himself. On occasion he had filled in for Kingsley during Order training sessions. He was sure he could hold his own with the wizard.

"I suggest we continue on until we are out of sight of the castle," Severus said to Justice.

"I don't care where we go," Justice replied, looking at the wizard with hatred, "So long as you get what's coming to you. I don't see what she saw in you."

Severus looked at him, his wicked side rising to the fore. This time, Severus indulged it.

"Maybe she saw what I put in her, Mr. Forall," he replied silkily.

Justice turned bright red with rage at the thought of Hermione shagging the Potions Master because she wanted his huge tool.

"You fucking bastard," he hissed at the wizard walking calmly beside him.

The wizards were about ten feet apart as they walked over the grounds toward the Forbidden Forest. Severus smirked. The wizard was very emotional. It would affect his fighting…make him reckless.

"Yes, I am," Severus agreed, fueling Justice's rage even more.

They stopped at the edge of the forest. Severus turned to face the irate wizard. He watched as Justice unbuttoned his robes. When the Auror dropped them to the ground, Severus took a defensive stance.

"Whenever you feel man enough, Mr. Forall," he purred.

* * *

After about half an hour, the two wizards made their way back to the castle, both in bad shape and covered in dirt and blood. Justice had a strip of robe tied around his head, holding his broken jaw in place. Another strip was bound around his midsection to hold one cracked and one broken rib in place. His lip was badly split and two teeth were knocked out. His face was badly bruised and one arm hung limply. 

Severus' nose was broken and one eye swollen shut. His shirt was ripped up the back, his lip split, and a knuckle pushed back from breaking Justice's rib with several vicious punches to his side. The Potions Master was hopping on one foot with the aid of a branch from the Forbidden Forest…the other foot was probably broken. He had blue-black finger marks around his throat. Justice had tried his best to choke him to death. Breaking the Auror's jaw with a well-placed roundhouse kick ended the fight, though the broken rib slowed him down quite a bit.

Now the two made their way back to Hogwarts. Instead of using the main entrance, Severus led the Auror to a little used entrance covered by vines that led to the dungeon corridor. Leaning on the branch, the Potions Master pressed a series of bricks and the wall slid inward. He hobbled through, followed by Justice.

Mathias happened to be heading for Slytherin house, accompanied by Jasmine when the two wizards appeared in the corridor. He was carrying her backpack as well as his own.

Mathias didn't have the slightest idea why he did anything for Jasmine. It just felt like he should do what she asked him when she turned those blue eyes on him. She had very pretty eyes. Besides, Jasmine didn't ask him to do anything that was difficult. Carrying her books wasn't a problem. Boys were stronger than girls after all, though her books really didn't weigh that much. She could probably carry them herself but Mathias didn't mind. He didn't mind her arm looped through his either, because he knew somehow that Jasmine Malfoy wouldn't loop her arm through just any wizard's arm. He kind of liked that.

Mathias and Jasmine both stopped and stared at the two wizards, their eyes wide with shock. Mathias did a double take as he recognized Justice Forall. He released Jasmine and ran up to the wizards.

"Professor Snape, what happened?" he asked the wizard. With the dried blood and dirt on his face and shirt, he looked like he'd been in a war. Mr. Forall looked much worse however.

"Just a difference of opinion, Mr. Granger. Go to your house," Severus said, wincing as his split lip burned. Both he and Justice headed for the Potions office.

Mathias stood there.

"Why were you two fighting?" he asked.

Severus glared at the boy.

"Mr. Granger, my private affairs have nothing to do with you. Ten points from Slytherin for nosiness," Severus snapped at him, then he looked at Jasmine. "And you will both lose fifty points apiece if I hear a word about this incident being spread about. Now get to your house!"

Mathias stood there a moment. Jasmine walked up to him.

"Come on, Mathias," she said, taking him gently by the arm. The young wizard looked at her, then back at the two broken wizards. He wished he could have seen the fight. Mr. Forall was an Auror, so he knew Martial Arts. But the way he was beaten up, Professor Snape must be a fighter too. Justice was bigger than the Potions Master, and looked like he got the worst of it the way he was bound up.

"Ok," he said to Jasmine, and they both walked up the hall as the wizards entered the Potions Master's office.

Justice fell into the rickety chair in front of the Potions Master's desk, while Severus grabbed his wand went to his stores and retrieved his special healing potion. He sat down on a stool in the class and slowly took off his boot and sock. He pointed his wand at his foot and said a bone-mending spell.

Over the years Severus had picked up some spells from Poppy. The medi-witch said that it made sense for him to know them in case he was in a bad way and needed mending before he could make it back. His foot healed, but it was very painful as the bones knitted back together. He held his nose as straight as he could then drank the healing potion. His lip, nose and eye healed, but there was still a great deal of bruising around his eye, nose and throat. The wizard would have to wear a glamour until it cleared up. Then he scourgified his body and torn clothing.

Better for wear, he entered the Potions office and found Justice still sitting there. The wizard couldn't speak because of his broken jaw. The Auror looked at the wizard expectantly. Severus scowled at him and handed him his wand.

"Surely you don't expect me to heal you, Mr. Forall," he said, "because if you do, you are sadly, sadly mistaken. I have met your insane need for a testosterone-based battle. Now leave my office, sir, and don't come back…or I guarantee you, next time we will duel with only one of us walking away. I don't make a habit of handling situations physically when a wand can handle it less painfully."

Justice's eyes narrowed, but he was so broken up it was a wasted effort. He stood with difficulty and limped out of the Potions Master's office. He gestured to the wizard and pointed down the corridor. Severus looked at him a moment then realized he wanted to use the secret exit. Yes, that would be wise. No questions about why a man half beaten to death was strolling the halls of Hogwarts. Severus walked out into the corridor, pressed the proper sequence of bricks, and let Justice out…feeling like kicking him in the ass as he did so. Let him hobble to St. Mungos. Idiot.

His newly repaired nostrils flared, Severus waited for the wall to close back, then went back to his Potions office. He closed and locked the door, then opened the wall to his private rooms and entered, heading straight for the bathroom. The Potions Master looked in the mirror, brushing his black hair back, craning his neck and scowled at the bruising on his face and throat. He felt like taking off after Justice and hexing him to bloody bits. It had been a hard fight though. The wizard was skilled and enraged. He must be an Auror. Severus recognized some of the moves. A few Order members were Aurors and he sparred with them on occasion.

"Well Hermione, looks like eleven years of ignoring you and Mathias finally caught up with me," he said as he stared at his bruises.

A small part of him wondered if he didn't deserve it.

* * *

Mathias was scowling as he and Jasmine entered the common room. He wanted to know why Professor Snape and Mr. Forall had a fight. A few ooh's went up from the students congregated there as they saw Jasmine on the wizard's arm. He removed the witch's arm quickly and handed Jasmine her books. 

"I'm going up to my room, Jasmine. I'll see you later," he said heading for the boys' dorm.

"Wait, Mathias. Aren't you going to study with me?" Jasmine asked him.

Mathias looked at her.

"No," he said shortly. "I prefer to study alone. No distractions."

He walked up the stairs, Jasmine scowling after him. It seemed she didn't have the wizard wrapped around her finger after all. Well, she'd work on it.

Mathias headed up the stairs. Jasmine was nice but he wasn't going to spend all his time with her. She'd quickly become an annoyance if he did. His time was important. He entered his bedroom. Thankfully none of his roommates were there. The wizard put his books on his bed and opened his wardrobe, ready to remove his robes and get comfortable. All his clothes were gone. He opened the lower drawer. His socks and boxers were gone too. He opened his nightstand drawer. His books were gone.

Scowling, Mathias grabbed his backpack and headed back for the common room. When he and Jasmine first entered, he saw Boyle sitting near the wizarding chess tables watching Gerald and Charles play a round. He was going to find out what happened to his clothes.

Mathias walked back downstairs, and Jasmine's face lit up until she realized he wasn't coming over. The wizard walked over to his roommates. He stopped in front of Boyle, his black eyes glittering.

"What happened to my clothes," he asked Boyle who blinked at him stupidly.

Gerald answered.

"I don't know. I went in the room earlier and some house elves were cleaning out your things. I didn't ask them what they were doing. Creepy little buggers. They look like miniature demons or something," Gerald said with a shudder.

House elves? Then Mathias realized that his private room probably came through. He gave a small smile.

"So you moved out?" Charles asked him.

"Yes. I think my private room came through," Mathias said.

All three boys looked at him enviously.

"Told you he thinks he's better than us," Boyle muttered, his brutish brow furrowed as he looked at Mathias.

"Why do you say that? Because I want privacy? Shut up, Boyle," Mathias said.

Boyle bristled but he didn't do anything. One ass-kicking from the smaller wizard had been enough.

"Well, good riddance," he said nastily.

Mathias scowled at him and headed for the common room exit. He needed to talk to Professor Snape and find out where his new room was.

* * *

Severus was back in his Potions office, reading the rest of the questionnaires. He was now looking at Boyle Goyle's parchment, shaking his head.

* * *

**First Year Questionnnaire  
Slytherin House  
Head of House: Professor Severus Snape, P.M.**

**Student Name: _Boyle Goyle_**

**Age: _11_**

**Father's Name: _Gregory Goyle_  
Father's Occupation: _Custodian at Ministry of Magic_**

**Mother's Name: _Matilda Goyle_  
Mother's Occupation: _Seamstress_**

**First Contact: _Barrister Goyle_  
Second Contact: _Anna-Marie Goyle_**

**Favorite Subject: _Transfiguration_  
Secondary Subject: _Charms_**

**Hobbies: _Wrestling_  
The Person You Most Admire: _Hulk Hogan Muggle Wrestler_  
Trait You Most Admire: _Good Fighter_  
Your Current Goal: _To be a bodyguard_**

**Why Do You Think You Were Sorted into Slytherin House?  
_The hat put me here._**

**Describe Yourself:**

_**Big. Strong. Tough.**_

**What Do You Believe Slytherin House Can Do For You?**

_**Help me graduate.**_

* * *

Severus shook his head. Boyle Goyle was going to be a challenge as well, the challenge being getting him through to his seventh year and out of Hogwarts. Well, he'd do his best to help the boy. Gods knew he'd need it. 

Severus was about to read the next parchment when there was a knock on the door. He pulled out his wand and unlocked it.

"Come in," he said.

The door opened and Mathias walked in. He walked in front of the Potions Master's desk, but didn't sit down.

"Sorry to disturb you Professor," Mathias said, studying the wizard's face. He looked much better but his face and neck were bruised. "I've been moved from my room but don't know where my new room is."

Severus looked at his son.

"Your room is on the second level of the dorm. The last one on the right," the Potions Master said.

"Thank you, sir," Mathias said, making ready to leave the office.

"Mr. Granger, have a seat," the Potions Master said. He had noticed Jasmine on the boy's arm earlier. He seemed a bit young for that.

Mathias sat down.

"Mr. Granger, I was wondering…how much do you know about sex?" the Potions Master asked him.

Mathias' eyebrows went up. This was a taboo subject as far as his mum was concerned. He looked at the Potions Master with interest.

"Sex sir?" he asked the wizard, wanting to confirm the topic.

"Yes," Severus said, his eyes resting on the boy.

"Well I know a wizard sticks his penis into a witch," the boy said.

Severus' eyebrow arched. Well, he knew the basics, that was for sure.

"Yes, that's correct, but there is a bit more to it," the Potions Master said. "I notice Jasmine Malfoy has taken a liking to you…"

Mathias just looked at him.

"I just want to let you know, Mr. Granger, that sex is something to be engaged in when you are of an age to understand the intricacies involved, and not entered into lightly. There can be…repercussions. Children. Unwanted children," the Professor said evenly, thinking about Hermione.

Mathias studied the wizard.

"I don't want to stick my penis in Jasmine or anyone else, Professor," the young wizard said. "It sounds nasty."

Severus smirked. If it were done right…it was nasty, in a very, very good way.

"Mr. Granger, I assure you as you grow older, it will seem less nasty and more appealing, as will Miss Malfoy, who comes from a long line of femme fatales. I just want to make you aware of this, and tell you to be careful and exercise restraint when you find yourself attracted to her or any witch in such a way. If you need guidance, come to me," the Potions Master said.

Mathias looked at him as if he wanted to ask a question.

"You want to ask me something, Mr. Granger?" Severus asked the boy.

"Well…I don't understand why I would want to stick my penis in a witch, Professor. It's perfectly fine as it is," he said, looking at the wizard for clarification.

Severus considered the best way to explain this.

"Well, Mr. Granger, it has to do with an urge to continue the species. We all have a mating instinct that shows itself as a desire to…use your penis in such a way on a witch. In animals, this occurs at a specific time, but with humans it is different. We find sex a pleasurable activity, so engage in it frequently, rather than wait for the proper time to mate."

"An attractive witch will make you want to mate with her without trying. Actually, she may not be attractive at all but you may still be driven to mate with her. The urge is just Nature trying to continue the species. But for you it will be because you will want the pleasure that comes from being with a witch. Unfortunately, whether or not you will mate with the witch is entirely up to her. She has to accept you…and therein, my boy, lies the problem."

"Wizards do insane things to make witches accept them. And some witches will make you do insane things just for a chance to have them in such a way, and still not accept you. Miss Malfoy will eventually become one of those kinds of witches. She is bred to be that way, believe me. You have to make sure she doesn't control you in such a manner, Mr. Granger. Let no witch control you that way," the Potions Master said.

Mathias was almost sure he wouldn't want to stick his penis in anybody, but Professor Snape was a wizard of the world. He was sure the Potions Master wouldn't sit him down and tell him this if it wasn't a possibility. He'd pay attention to it. If he did start feeling the "mating instinct" he'd have a heads up on how to handle it. He wouldn't be controlled.

"Yes sir," Mathias said.

Severus looked at the boy.

"You may go, Mr. Granger," he said.

Mathias rose.

"Professor, about the fight you and Mr. Forall had," the boy began.

Severus scowled at him.

"I already told you, Mr. Granger, that it was none of your concern," the wizard said, "Do you want to lose more points?"

"No sir. I only wanted to know…to know who won, sir," the boy pressed.

Severus looked at him.

"I did. When I broke his jaw," the Potions Master replied, his black eyes raking over the small pale wizard.

Mathias gave a satisfied smile.

"I thought you did," he said. "Good-bye, Professor."

"Good-bye, Mr. Granger," Severus replied. He watched as the boy exited the room, still smiling.

It seemed Mathias didn't care much for Mr. Justice Forall. Well, he didn't have to worry about the Auror any more. It was quite likely he and Hermione were finished for good.

Severus sat there a moment, realizing he had just had his first Father/Son talk with Mathias. It had gone rather well considering the boy had no idea he was his father. Severus thought it might be wise to get all his advice in before the truth came out.

It was very likely Mathias wouldn't listen to anything he said after that.

The wizard picked up the next parchment on his desk.

Back to work.

* * *

A/N: And that is the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 2" 


	3. Daddy Dearest Part 3

**Daddy Dearest Part 3**

The next day at work, Hermione walked through the Ministry Building heading for the cafeteria, when she saw Justice on security duty by the entrance doors. He looked terrible, his face badly bruised, especially around his chin. He looked like he had been in a fight.

A fight?

Hermione hesitated. She knew she was the last person the Auror wanted to see. If she walked up to him, she was risking being publicly embarrassed or humiliated. He had spoken very nastily to her before he left. She hadn't known the wizard could be so nasty.

Justice's brown eyes flicked toward the witch, went hard for a moment and flicked away, the Auror turning his head and pretending to look out the door. Hermione stood there a moment, then resolutely walked toward him.

She stopped in front of the Auror.

"What happened to you, Justice?" she asked him softly.

He frowned down at her.

"What do you care, Hermione?" he shot back at her.

Hermione scowled at him.

"Fine, I was just asking," she said turning to walk away.

"I tangled with your new boyfriend," the Auror said.

Hermione spun around, her eyes wide with shock

"You what?" she asked him

"I fought Professor Snape," Justice said, looking at her for a reaction.

Hermione shook her head.

"Oh Justice, you don't understand anything!" she said, looking at the Auror, "Professor Snape isn't my boyfriend or even my lover. I swear to you."

Justice looked at her incredulously.

"I know what I saw in that pensieve, Hermione. How can you expect me to believe that?" the wizard asked her. "Clearly he shagged you that night."

Hermione looked at Justice. He had spent five years courting her, loving her…she just didn't love him enough to be what he wanted her to be…but he deserved to know the real truth. She didn't want him thinking she had betrayed him. She made a decision.

"Justice, come to my office on your break, and if you are willing to take a Wizard's Oath, I will explain everything to you. Everything," Hermione said to the Auror.

"A Wizard's Oath?" he repeated.

"Yes. It is a great secret. Anyone who knows has taken an oath to keep quiet about it. It's the only way I can comfortably tell you the truth," Hermione said.

Justice stared at the witch. Did he want to know the truth? She had hurt him so badly, he didn't even think it would matter. But she was offering an explanation. This would eat him up if he didn't know the truth.

"And you will tell me the complete truth, Hermione? No holding back or lying?" he asked her.

"Yes. Then you'll see what a terrible mistake you've made," Hermione said.

The Auror considered this.

"All right. I'll be there in an hour," he said, his voice hoarse. "I just hope I'm not wasting my time."

"You won't be," Hermione said, turning and leaving.

Justice watched her go with mixed emotions. He didn't see any way she could convince him she'd done nothing wrong. He had seen the pensieve and seen the same room they were in. Professor Snape had booked it on the same night. Hermione obviously was up there with him. What other reason could she have for being there if she wasn't sleeping with the wizard.

Justice sighed. Either way he knew they were finished, but deep inside he would rather it be for the reason Hermione gave him, that she wasn't ready for a committed relationship, rather than because another wizard was a better lover than he was and stole her away from him.

Well, in an hour he'd find out what was what.

* * *

An hour later, Justice sat in Hermione's office, facing the witch as she sat behind her desk. She pulled out her wand and warded the door, placing a silencing spell on it as well. She looked at Justice for a moment.

"Do you solemnly swear that you will not reveal anything I tell you in this room to anyone, ever?" she asked him somberly.

Justice nodded.

"I do," he said.

Immediately powerful magic swirled around him, setting the Wizard's Oath in place.

"Professor Snape is Mathias' father, Justice," Hermione said.

"What?" Justice said, his eyebrows rising so high they almost disappeared into his hairline. "He's the one who…who abandoned you both?"

"Yes, he is. Mathias was sorted into Slytherin House, and Severus is now in a position of influence over him. I went to the Three Broomsticks to talk to him, tell him not to reveal who he was to my son. But we came to an agreement that Mathias has a right to know, and we planned to tell him in his fourth or fifth year," she said.

Justice looked at her.

"But, the pensieve…" he began.

"As you know I had no memory of what happened that night. I was of the mind that he had seduced me and ravished me when I was under the influence. He gave me that pensieve to show me what actually happened that night," Hermione said, reddening, "If you had watched it in its entirety, you would have seen him taking my virginity. I was blacked out, but clearly I was very willing for it to happen. Then the next morning when I woke up, I was horrified. I didn't remember what happened between us, and I accused him of taking advantage of me and cursed him. He left without a word. He had no way of knowing I wasn't completely lucid that night, because I still functioned as if I was."

"You must not have entered the pensieve at the beginning, or you would have seen how I ended up in the room with him. I used to have a crush on him, a very bad one, and I told him about the fantasies I used to have about him. One thing led to another. But I wasn't myself when I told him those things or when I went to the room with him. I guess I still had those feelings for him and wanted to be with him the way I fantasized about. But it happened eleven years ago, Justice. Not the other night. But it was the same room."

"When I entered the pensieve, you were walking up the stairs in the Three Broomsticks to the room," Justice said, his brown eyes studying the witch.

Hermione nodded. Perhaps he entered in the middle of the pensieve scene because he hadn't used the levels command. Level one was normal viewing. He probably just dropped into the memory randomly.

Now everything made sense to Justice. He had fought a wizard over an incident that happened long before he'd ever met Hermione. The Auror considered Mathias. Same dark hair, dark eyes and skin complexion. Yes, the boy looked very much like the Potions Master. He imagined the boy acted like him too in some ways. The Professor was down in the dungeons most of the time, and Mathias had liked to be in the basement, doing whatever it was he did. So now Mathias was with his father, and didn't know it.

The boy would be livid when he found out his mother had lied to him about his father being dead. Hermione had a lot of complicated problems ahead of her. Maybe it was better that they weren't together. There was too much baggage attached to the witch, now that Severus was back in the picture. Mathias most likely would turn into an angry, surly teenager with a grudge against the entire world when he found out the truth.

No, the Auror wanted no parts of that. Stepfathers always caught the bad end of those kinds of situations. Justice thought he loved Hermione, but his unwillingness to become involved in the entanglements of her life showed him maybe he didn't love her as much as he thought he did. Maybe it was just possessiveness that kept him with her all these years.

As of now, Justice was extremely glad Hermione had repeatedly turned down his offers of marriage, particularly if this was what was in the witch's future. Their lives would have been a mess. No, he wanted an entanglement-free relationship, not one full of drama and angst. He looked at the witch.

"I wish you had told me this yesterday when I viewed the pensieve," he said.

"I should have, but the situation was so emotional, Justice. I was in shock when I saw you with your finger in the pensieve. You invaded my privacy. I was furious. And you were angry and hurt. Neither of us was thinking clearly. But I really did want to tell you I wanted to end our relationship…I just did it wrong. I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry, Justice," Hermione said.

Justice looked at her.

"And I'm sorry about accusing you, and the things I said to you, Hermione. But I think you're right. We do need to go our separate ways. Things are too…complicated," he said evenly, standing up as the witch nodded in agreement.

The wizard looked at her.

"I suppose I owe Professor Snape an apology, but he won't be getting one from me. He still abandoned you and Mathias. He deserved something for that. If I had met you eleven years ago and knew what he'd done, I still would have broken his nose for it. My timing was off, that's all," the Auror said, his brown eyes drinking the witch in.

"It was good while it lasted, Hermione," the wizard said softly. "I've good memories about you. I'll always have those."

Hermione nodded, her eyes glistening a little. Justice had been there for her, a comforting presence…she wasn't alone. Now, she was again.

"I have good memories too, Justice. Thank you," she said softly as the Auror headed for the door. Hermione unwarded it, and he opened it, looking back at her.

"Have a good life, Hermione Granger," he said, giving her a small smile.

"And you too, Justice Forall," she answered him, smiling as she remembered the first time she ever heard that ridiculous name.

The Auror left, walking away from Hermione and the last five years of his life, relieved.

* * *

Mathias had a free hour and decided to go outside and sit by the lake. There was a nice little grove of trees there and he could sit and relax for a while. Unfortunately for the young wizard, he didn't realize James Potter and three of his friends saw him exit the castle alone.

James grinned evilly at the other wizards. A first year named John Blatz, a second year name Virgil Donaldson, and a third year named Franklin Umbleton. The older students had latched on to James because he was the son of Harry Potter, and wanted a bit of the reflected glory.

"Hey, Mathias is by himself," James said to the other wizards, "Looks like it's time for some payback for flipping our breakfasts."

The other wizards nodded and followed the young Slytherin out the door.

Mathias was oblivious to being followed, his mind focused on Jasmine's reaction when he refused to sit with her at breakfast. She got very angry with him.

"Why can't I sit with you?" she demanded, her hands on her hips.

"Because I need my space, Jasmine," he replied. "I can't hang around with you all the time. I need time for myself."

"Well, I find that very rude, Mathias Granger," she said angrily, stomping her foot.

Mathias let his black eyes drift over her. Professor Snape was right. She really was trying to control him.

"Well, I guess I'm rude then," he answered her rather snarkily.

Jasmine huffed and stormed off to sit with the other first year witches. They all glared at Mathias as Jasmine told them what he said to her. The young wizard didn't even notice.

Severus witnessed the exchange, a small smirk on his face. It seemed his son took their little talk to heart and was nipping things in the bud now, before the "mating instinct" kicked in. He was really quite a bright boy. And in the process, Jasmine was discovering she couldn't have everything she wanted, something that was probably quite a shock to the spoiled young witch. He wondered if she would call "Daddy" and complain about Mathias.

"Daddy, make him listen to me."

Draco would then have to let his little girl know he wasn't one of the gods after all. Short of an Imperious curse, he'd have no way to make Mathias obey his little heartbreaker-in-training. The Potions Master grinned. He'd love to be a beetle on the ledge for that conversation. Jasmine was known for her tantrums around her father. She didn't dare do it around her grandfather however. Lucius didn't stand for it, and Jasmine would find herself with a very red bottom if she dared try.

* * *

Mathias strolled along until he came to the copse of trees. He walked under them, surrounded by greenery and sniffed deeply. The air was moist and sweet here. He looked out across the lake. The Giant Squid was out in the middle of it, splashing about, its great tentacles slapping the water. The wizard sat down, cross-legged and continued to watch the Squid.

He didn't hear the Gryffindors creeping up behind him.

Virgil, the oldest of the group pulled out his wand and pointed it at the wizard's back.

"Petrificus Totalus!" he cried.

Mathias started to roll when he heard the spell, but he couldn't move quickly enough from the position he was in and was hit. His body straightened out and stiffened. He was unable to move any part of his body but his eyes. He saw four evilly grinning faces lean over him. One of them was James Potter. Mathias' eyes narrowed.

"Hey bastard," James said to the petrified wizard, "I want you to meet the new 'Marauders,' Virgil, John, Franklin and myself. We owe you big time for hexing Gryffindor house. Now what do you suppose we're going to do to you?"

James stuck his hand into Mathias' pocket, pulled out his wand then walked over to the lake and threw it in. It landed out quite a distance, bobbing on top of the water. Eventually the tide would push it back in. But now, Mathias was wandless.

James looked at Virgil, who knew most of the good spells since he was a third year.

"Let him go," James said, backing away, "But watch him. My dad and uncle Ron taught him how to fight, so keep your wands on him, everybody."

The boys backed away a bit, then Virgil released Mathias, who immediately sprang to his feet.

"And my mum tried to tell me Gryffindors were brave. Right. Look at this. Four against one and you took my wand. You're all cowards," he seethed.

James scowled at him, then his eyes slid over to Virgil.

"Hit him," he hissed

Virgil murmured a spell that blasted Mathias back several feet, the boy landing hard on his back as the wizards laughed. He lay there gasping. His back ached. Slowly he got to his feet. He might have tried to run but he was in too much pain.

"I bet that felt good, didn't it, Mathias? That'll teach you to fuck with Gryffindor," James gloated as they approached the wizard again.

"I'm going to get you for this, James!" Mathias swore through gritted teeth.

James frowned at the wizard, then whispered something to Virgil, who nodded and smiled nastily at Mathias. He pointed his wand at him.

"Divesto!" he cried. Instantly, all of Mathias' clothing disappeared, leaving him naked. His robes, boxers, socks and shoes appeared in front of the wizards. Virgil pointed his wand at them.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he said. The clothing floated upward and the wizard neatly guided them to rest high in a fork in one of the trees.

The Gryffindors cracked up as Mathias stood there naked. The wizard made no attempt to cover himself up. James looked at him then pointed

"You're even built like a freak. Look at the size of your dick…that's fucking abnormal," the wizard said.

Everyone but Virgil started laughing anew. Virgil was the oldest, and he knew that even at eleven years old, Mathias was nothing to laugh at.

"Let's go," Virgil said, glowering at Mathias, who stood there furious, his black eyes filled with hatred.

"Why? we're just getting started!" James complained, looking back at the naked wizard.

"We've got class. I don't want to be late," Virgil said, turning and walking back toward the castle.

"We're going to leave him like this?" John said a little nervously, "He might tell on us."

"So what? It's worth a detention," James said, "We can't let him get away with what he did to Gryffindor. Now we're one up on him. If he tells, he'll just show all of Hogwarts he's a little crybaby. Let's go."

Mathias watched as the four wizards walked back to the castle, murder in his heart. He looked down at himself, then up into the tree. His clothing was too high to reach and there were no limbs low enough to hoist himself up on. The young wizard then looked toward the lake, squinting his eyes until he saw his floating wand. It was about fifty feet out. He could swim and retrieve it.

Mathias cautiously exited the copse of trees, looking to see if anyone were about. No, he didn't see anyone. The wizard walked into the water, stepping carefully. There were a lot of rocks on the lake bottom and the gods only knew what living things were there ready to take a bite out of him. The water was rather murky, so he couldn't see the bottom clearly. He tried not to think of all the Giant Squid shit and piss that was in the water. Mathias waded out into the lake until the water was deep enough that he could swim, then lowered himself into the water and swam for his wand.

He got it and was swimming back when he heard a shout.

"You! You there! What in the gods' names do you think you're doing?" the voice called.

Mathias stopped swimming and tread water, looking along the shore for the person who called to him, but didn't see anyone.

"Up here!" the voice called.

Mathias looked up.

Madame Hooch and about a dozen first years were hovering over the lake on brooms, looking down on him. All the first years were giggling.

"Swimming is not allowed in the Lake," Madame Hooch called down to him. "Especially naked swimming. You are in a world of trouble, young man!"

Mathias sighed and started swimming for shore, his pale buttocks showing as he stroked.

Gods, James was going to pay for this. Him and his cronies.

* * *

Mathias sat in Professor Snape's Head of House office, waiting for Severus to appear. When he was taken to the Headmaster by a scolding Madam Hooch, Albus immediately said he was to report to Professor Snape, who would take care of the matter in-house. Madame Hooch didn't look happy about this. It was well known Severus went easy on his Slytherins, and she was sure the boy wasn't going to be properly punished.

She was also upset because Mathias didn't try to explain why he was swimming in the lake naked during class hours. He wouldn't answer any of her questions but just looked at her sullenly. The witch took twenty points from him for being insubordinate, but he still said nothing.

Mathias wasn't looking forward to telling Professor Snape what happened. He was angry he let himself be caught off guard like that. But then again, he hadn't expected to be followed and attacked by Gryffindors. He was also concerned that the Professor would pull James and his friends in and make him look like a tattletale. Mathias wanted to get them back himself, like a real Slytherin.

Severus headed toward his office scowling. What the hell had Mathias been thinking, skinny-dipping in the Lake in full daylight during class hours? Madam Hooch had been livid, saying the boy refused to answer any questions she put to him and he needed a good disciplining. Well, he'd get to the bottom of it. There would be a point loss and detention involved, as well as a lecture.

Severus entered his office, robes billowing and swept behind his desk. His dark eyes fell on the young wizard in front of him.

"Mr. Granger, what the hell were you doing swimming naked in the Lake? Swimming is absolutely forbidden and signs are prominently displayed. You've already cost Slytherin House twenty points for your insubordination to Madam Hooch. Why didn't you answer her questions?" Severus demanded.

Mathias looked at him.

"Because you said whenever we were in trouble to come to you first," he said, "So I wanted you to know what happened before anyone."

Severus looked at him, taken aback for a moment. He did tell the first years to come to him first.

"Why were you in the lake?" Severus asked.

"I had to get my wand," the boy replied.

Severus looked at him incredulously.

"And why was your wand in the lake?" he asked him.

Mathias hesitated.

"Mr. Granger, I need to understand what happened before I make my decision on how you will be punished. You will tell me everything, do you understand? If you do not, I will use legilimency on you and find out for myself. That will add more point loss if I have to do it. So I suggest you tell me everything of your own free will," Severus said, scowling at the wizard.

Mathias sighed, then told the Professor what happened.

"I had a free hour and went outside to go sit in a copse of trees out by the lake. It's quiet there, and I like quiet. James Potter and his friends followed me…"

The Professor stiffened a bit at this revelation. James Potter was targeting his son like his grandfather targeted him. His eyes went darker.

"They petrified me at first, then James said they were the New Marauders. He took my wand out of my robes pocket and threw it into the lake," Mathias said, frowning at the memory. "Then one of them blasted me, then divestoed all my clothes and put them high in a tree where I couldn't reach them. Then they left me there naked."

The Professor scowled blackly.

"I needed to get my wand so I could get my clothes down. I had to swim to go get it, and Madam Hooch saw me when I was swimming back to shore, and I got in trouble."

Severus had an ugly expression on his face. The "New Marauders?" Shit. It was like time replaying itself, only with his son in his place. And as angry as it made the Potions Master, he knew that he would have to let Mathias deal with the boys if he were going to get any respect. But still, he wanted the lad to know that he wasn't the only one who was targeted.

"Mathias, when I attended Hogwarts as a student, I was targeted by the original Marauders. It was something that lasted throughout my years here. I had no one to help me deal with them. I was a bit of an outcast because of how I was. There were times they ganged up on me and caught me unaware, the same way James and his friends did to you today. Once I was almost killed by one of them and nothing was done about it. Nothing at all. So I understand what you are facing now."

Mathias stared at him. Wow. He would have never thought that.

"Now, I could report this incident to the Gryffindor Head of House, take points from them and give them detention…" the Potions Master began.

"No!" Mathias exclaimed, then realized he had shouted at the Professor.

"I'm sorry sir, but no…if you do that it will look like I ran to you like some kind of baby. Then it would be worse. I want to get them back myself. I know enough spells to do it," Mathias replied.

Severus looked at the boy, a bit of pride swelling in his chest. He wanted to handle this himself.

"Very well, Mr. Granger. You have my permission to do just that, however, if you are caught, you will have to take the consequences. You will have to be cunning and resourceful, Mr. Granger, and not be caught," Severus said, smirking at the boy.

"I will have to be a Slytherin about it," Mathias said, also smirking.

"Precisely," Severus replied, "Twenty points for that correct assumption, Mr. Granger."

Mathias beamed at the wizard. He had just put back the twenty points Madam Hooch had taken from him.

"Because of the situation that led you to be found nude in the lake, Mr. Granger, I will not be punishing you...this time. However, if you get in trouble again for being caught off guard by the "New Marauders" I will not be as generous. Correction is important, and gives you impetus to learn. If you want to avoid losing house points and getting detentions, you will have to look out for yourself. Apply constant vigilance."

Mathias nodded. He understood completely. If James managed to get him in trouble, then he would have to face the consequences.

"Yes sir. I will be careful," the boy replied, his eyes hard.

Severus nodded with approval…again feeling that tightness in his chest as he looked at his son.

"Very good, Mr. Granger. You may go," Severus said.

Mathias rose from the chair.

"Your face and neck look much better today sir," the wizard commented.

Severus looked at him for a moment, then took out his wand and removed the glamour for a moment, so the boy could see he still had the bruises from the fight, then put it back up.

"I'm afraid it will take a while for the bruises to fully disappear," he said to the boy.

"Sir, may I ask you a question?" Mathias asked.

"As long as it isn't the reason Mr. Forall and I fought, yes, you may," Severus replied, curious as to what the boy would ask him.

"Why didn't you use your wand on him? It would have been faster and less painful," Mathias observed.

Severus looked at him.

"Duels are deadly, Mr. Granger, particularly between grown wizards. Sometimes, a physical altercation is much more satisfying. It is more of a challenge and shows how well you can defend yourself without magic. The field is more level when wizards fight hand to hand. There are times when it is more satisfying to plant one's fist in another's face up close and personal than to blast them from a distance. My foray with Mr. Forall was one of those kinds of situations," the wizard replied.

Mathias looked thoughtful.

"I'd like to plant my fist in James' face. A few times," the young wizard said.

Severus almost chuckled.

"Maybe you will get the opportunity in the coming years," the Potions Master replied. "Now get to class, Mr. Granger."

Severus handed him a pass.

"Thank you, Professor," Mathias said, leaving his office.

"You're welcome son," Severus said in a low voice as his chest tightened again.

Mathias Granger was something else.

* * *

James Potter was a boy who craved attention. Possibly this stemmed from his feeling that he'd had to share his father his entire life with one Mathias Granger. Harry had spent a lot of time with Hermione's son, and James resented it. Harry was his father after all, and he hated the way he took Mathias under his wing, praising him for how smart he was, how good a flyer he was, how good a fighter he was. James was no slouch in these things, but his father never seemed to fawn over him like he did Mathias.

What James didn't realize was that Harry was just trying to be a positive role model for Mathias, kind of like a big brother. Hermione was his best friend after all and she was raising her son alone. The boy needed a male influence and he and Ron were the ones who provided it. Harry loved James very much, but felt the boy knew this, and knew he was proud of him, so didn't say it often enough. He felt Mathias needed to hear praise for reinforcement. Which incidentally, Mathias didn't. He didn't like anyone making a fuss over him.

Harry had no idea how jealous James was of Mathias. The wizard was so good at so many things, it made James feel inadequate. Especially all the spells he could do. But James didn't have Hermione for a mother, nor did he have any idea how hard Mathias worked to learn all those spells. All James knew was that Mathias took his fire and he hated the wizard for it. He tried to bring him down every chance he got.

He discovered early on that Mathias was sensitive about not having a father of his own, and James pounced on that, reminding the wizard he was fatherless every chance he got. When he discovered Mathias wouldn't tell on him, he just got worse. He had been hating the young wizard for so long, it was second nature to him, so when Mathias was sorted into Slytherin, Gryffindor's main rival, that only added more fuel. James knew because of the feud between the houses, he could make Mathias' life miserable and it would be assumed it was because of the house rivalry.

James had heard about the Marauders from uncle Ron. His father didn't talk about them much, but Ron told him of the legend. James thought it was awesome his grandfather was one of the most popular students in Hogwarts and that they were all animagi. He wanted to form a gang just like he did, and have fun. He was very pleased to find out his grandfather gave Snape a hard time. He was such a greasy git he deserved it. The New Marauders had to have a target too. Mathias was it.

When James and his friends returned to Hogwarts they wasted no time telling the other Gryffindors they had left Mathias Granger down by the lake naked and wandless. They were heroes. James loved the attention as did Virgil, John and Franklin. Picking on Mathias was going to be the thing to do from here on out, especially if they were rewarded like this.

Soon, first-years from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw confirmed that Mathias was indeed found naked swimming in the lake. Word got back to Slytherin house, and everyone was livid about it. Mathias had brought dishonor on the house, and would have to do something soon to restore it.

When Mathias walked into the Great Hall, he was met by wolf whistles from every table, then all the students fell into hysterics as the wizard snarled and walked to the silent Slytherin table. He sat down aware of every eye on him.

From the High Table, Severus watched his son undergo the same teasing and anger from his housemates as the Potions Master had undergone himself so many years ago. It was quite a lonely feeling.

Jasmine walked over to Mathias and sat down beside him without asking.

In a foul mood, Mathias looked at her and snarled, "What do you want, Jasmine?"

She scowled at him.

"I heard what James Potter and his friends did to you Mathias. I just wanted to ask you what are you going to do about it? You aren't going to let them get away with it, are you?" she asked him. "It makes all of Slytherin look bad."

Mathias noticed that every Slytherin at the table was listening attentively.

"No. I'm not going to let them get away with it," he replied, his face frowned up. "They're going to pay. Believe me."

The Slytherins let out a collective sigh of relief. Jasmine smiled at him.

"Good. I knew you weren't a coward," she said.

"Of course I'm not," he snapped. "Now, let me eat, Jasmine. I have to leave early."

"Fine," she said, leaving in another huff.

Mathias hurried and wolfed down his food quickly. As soon as he was done, he strode out of the Great Hall, wolf whistles and laughter following him. He scowled.

Soon they'd be laughing out of the other side of their faces.

Once he left the Great Hall, he surveyed the main hall, trying to figure out the best position for the most coverage. He decided the closer to the dungeon corridor he was, the better. The wizard disillusioned himself, then hunched against a suit of armor to cover his slight shimmer. A disillusionment charm was a seventh year level charm, simply because younger students would get into too much mischief if they used it.

After a few minutes, students began to trickle out of the Great Hall. Not enough yet for Mathias' liking…plus he had to watch for Slytherins. But his house had collectively held back, not wanting to be teased about how one of its members had been had by Gryffindor.

Finally there was a large enough crowd for Mathias to act. Using a blanket spell he'd learned watching his mother, he cast the hex. When the screaming started he fled down the dungeon corridor, still disillusioned, heading for the Slytherin common room. He made it in and went straight to his bedroom, undressed and pulled out his books as if he had been studying for at least half an hour.

Presently, he heard laughter in the Slytherin common room, uproarious laughter. Suddenly there was banging on his door.

"We know you're in there, Mathias!" Jasmine said, "Come down to the common room!"

"No, I'm studying," Mathias said, "Maybe later."

"We know you did it, Mathias! You might as well admit it!" Jasmine said.

Mathias could hear laughter outside his door. There were a lot of people out there.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mathias said.

He didn't ever plan on admitting he cast that hex. It was illegal to use veritaserum on students…so as long as he didn't boast or brag, he'd be fine. No one saw him cast the hex so he'd be safe.

"Sure, Mathias. Sure you don't," Jasmine said, smirking on the other side of the door.

Gods, Mathias worked fast. He was now the most popular wizard in Slytherin House, and he was only a first year. Jasmine decided she would have to pull out all the stops on him. She needed to talk to her grandmother. Narcissa would know what to do.

Jasmine left the wizard's door, while other students continued to knock and try to coax him out of the room. They were unsuccessful.

* * *

Severus Snape hurried down the dungeon corridor. He had just spent the last forty-five minutes with the other Heads of Houses hustling distraught students up to the infirmary to be treated by Poppy, only to find out that the hex would have to wear off. There was no known reversal spell. A large number of students from all the houses except Slytherin had been struck by it. That was because Slytherin House did not depart with the rest of the students.

Severus quickly unwarded his office door, entered and closed it behind him, warding it and placing a silencing spell around the room.

Then the wizard began to laugh hysterically, almost unable to catch his breath as his rich and rarely heard laughter filled his office. Tears ran from his eyes, and he wiped them away, only to have more roll down his pale cheeks. He had seen this hex before but never used in such a way, with such broad results. Holding his stomach, he weakly made his way around the desk and plopped into his swivel chair. He managed to stop laughing for a few moments, before a fresh wave washed over him.

His son was brilliant. Brilliant.

* * *

The next morning Mathias got up extra early, showered and headed for the Great Hall before his housemates woke up. They had partied into the night, celebrating Slytherin's re-established honor.

Mathias entered the Great Hall. No one was there yet. He took his place at the Slytherin table and waited patiently. In a few moments the breakfast plates appeared, and Mathias loaded up. The staff entrance opened, and in walked Professor Snape, who had also woke up early and headed for the Great Hall. He saw Mathias and gave him a small nod. Mathias nodded back, looking sober. There was not a bit of gloat in his eyes, Severus noted with approval. He doubted the boy would ever admit casting the hex, which was good. That was the only way to insure he would never be found out.

Severus ordered his breakfast, and father and son both began eating.

Suddenly the door opened and several students entered. They scowled at Mathias, who suddenly turned his head to the wall. He was fighting laughter. More and more students entered the Great Hall, and glared at the wizard, who kept a straight face now and pretended not to notice them. All of the students looked up to see Professor Snape looking at them. He was the Slytherin Head of House…they wouldn't dare try anything with him present.

The students sat down and started eating breakfast, glancing over at Mathias from time to time. Students from all three houses were cursing the wizard under their breath. He didn't get everyone, but he got quite a few.

More staff entered now. Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout were all tight-lipped, their eyes cutting toward Severus. All three were Heads of Houses and furious about what happened to their charges. They had all accused Mathias of casting the hex, but the Professor refused to even question the boy since no one had seen him. Plus, the hex was quite advanced, and Mathias was only a first year.

"He's Hermione's son, Severus!" Professor McGonagall argued, "She's a Spells Mistress. You know he knows more spells than ordinary students!"

Severus looked at Professor Flitwick.

"How many spells did he know when he arrived, Professor?" Severus asked him silkily.

The Charms teacher's face went dark.

"Five," he admitted, "Five very basic spells. But I don't think…"

"Well if it is recorded that he knows only five basic spells, then it is highly improbable he did this," Severus said smoothly. "It is a matter of record after all. Besides, why would he hex every house?"

"Every house but Slytherin," Professor Sprout seethed.

"Slytherin House wasn't hexed only because the students were still in the Great Hall. If they had been present, most likely they would be suffering the same effects as your charges," Severus said evenly.

"But he left the Hall," Professor McGonagall said, "Before anyone else."

"Is that some kind of crime, Professor McGonagall? He was finished eating," Severus replied. "In any case, no one saw the boy in the main hall at all, so I refuse to put one of my students through intensive questioning when there are no witnesses. I am sure Albus will back me up on this. A student MUST be seen throwing a hex to be charged with it. That is school policy. Now if you will all excuse me…"

And he had strode away to his office, where he collapsed with laughter.

Albus entered the Great Hall and looked at all the students. His eyes twinkled. He couldn't help it. A hex this good hadn't been cast at Hogwarts in many, many years. It kind of reminded him of Fred and George Weasley's antics years ago. He cut his eyes at Mathias, who looked as cool as if he were sitting on a mountain of never-melting ice. He certainly was a chip off the old cauldron.

James, Virgil, John and Franklin walked into the Great Hall. Mathias noted with some satisfaction that the hex had got them too. Each sported large set of magnificent antlers, at least eight pointers. James shook his fist at Mathias, who smirked just a bit.

Then Slytherin House entered the hall en masse, cracking up with laughter as they looked at all the antlered students sitting at every table. It served them right. All of them laughed at Mathias, after all…and deserved what they got. Everyone walked up to the Slytherin table and sat as close to Mathias as they could, crowding around him. The wizard felt as if he were being suffocated. They tried to congratulate him.

"I didn't do anything," he said, frowning. "I wish you all would stop acting as if I did."

But no one believed him. Finally the wizard got up from the table and left, every eye in the Great Hall on him. James watched as the young wizard strolled by. Mathias met his eyes for a moment, his mouth twisted in mirth. Then he kept going.

"He's going to pay for this," James seethed, his impressive antlers waving about. "Just wait."

* * *

The students soon found out that Mathias was not to be trifled with. Later in the day, when the first year was on his way to transfiguration, a Gryffindor student cast a hex at him, only to have it bounce back and hit him, knocking him back several feet. His housemates ran and helped him up, all staring at Mathias, who had stopped and turned to face them.

"Repelling charm," he said with a smirk. Then he turned and continued on to class.

Professor McGonagall spent most of the class trying to get Mathias to confess to hexing the houses, giving the rest of the class a reading assignment and calling him up to her desk. She spent a very frustrating forty-five minutes trying to bully the truth out of the boy, who denied everything.

"I left the Great Hall and went straight to my house," Mathias said.

"Can you prove that?" Professor McGonagall asked him.

"I really don't think I have to. I wasn't in the main hall. Someone would have seen me," he said simply. "Plus, I don't know how to cast a hex like that. I only know a couple of spells."

Minerva's eyes narrowed.

"I don't believe that young man," she said.

Mathias just shrugged, and continued to shrug until class was over. She didn't get a thing out of him.

"That boy reminds me of someone," she said to herself as she watched Mathias calmly collect his books and leave her class. "I just can't put my finger on it. But he's a Slytherin through and through, that's for certain."

Several more students found out about the repelling spell around Mathias the hard way, including Jasmine Malfoy when she tried to walk up to him and take his arm. She was flung back several feet.

"You…you pushed me!" she yelled at Mathias, who looked at her calmly.

"I didn't push you, Jasmine. You walked into my repelling spell. I'm wearing it for protection. You can't touch me. No one can," he said.

Jasmine's mouth moved silently for a moment, then she walked up to him and tried to touch him with her finger. Her hand was flung back.

"That's brilliant," she breathed, looking at the wizard admiringly.

"I don't know how brilliant it is, but it works, and that's all that matters," he said, starting to walk away.

"Mathias, can I study with you tonight?" Jasmine called to him.

Mathias scowled at her.

"I told you I study by myself, Jasmine. Now stop bothering me about it," he said.

He walked away.

Jasmine looked after him, her blue eyes dark. No one ever talked that way to her before. So dismissively.

She was going to owl her grandmother and ask her advice. Jasmine had a feeling there would be a lot of witches interested in Mathias Granger in the future. She needed to have a leg up.

* * *

Several weeks passed and the first report cards came out. Mathias had good marks in every class, though he was a bit disappointed in his Potions marks. He felt he should have made a better grade. He should have, but Severus was purposely giving Mathias lower marks to keep him working hard, much as he had done his mother when he was her teacher. Mathias was highly intelligent, and although not as mouthy as his mother, he was equally adept in catching on. His brewing was quite good and he rarely made mistakes. His tests were almost always in the one hundred percentile, and his essays were well written and informative, clearly showing what he learned. Severus wanted to keep him challenged.

Hermione got a copy of Mathias' grades. What was good to most parents was only fair to Hermione. As far as she was concerned Mathias needed to apply himself more. His lowest grade was in Potions. She narrowed her eyes when she saw it.

Was the Potions Master treating Mathias like he treated her? His own son?

Now Hermione was making her way down the dungeon corridor to Severus' office. He had never given her an appointment time to meet with him, but she had received an appointment for the teacher/parent conference that always occurred after the first and third report card. She had already met with Mathias' other teachers. She had been quite disturbed when Professor McGonagall told her about the antler incident, and the suspicion that Mathias was the student that had hexed all three houses. Severus had not contacted her about this.

Hermione felt a bit of apprehension about seeing the Potions Master. She knew he had been avoiding seeing her. Severus probably didn't want to discuss what happened eleven years ago. He didn't feel the need to as she did. It didn't help that Hermione occasionally went back into the pensieve on those nights she felt randy. Justice was gone now, and self-love just wasn't cutting it.

Hermione had gone level three as well. She only did it once because it was so overwhelming. The witch could feel herself as Severus experienced her and his lust and pleasure had been several times stronger than her own. He had really taken full pleasure in the witch that night, and wasn't ready to stop when he suddenly came, driven to climax by her reaction. He fell asleep still full of desire for her. Hermione came out of the pensieve soaked in perspiration and sticky from her own climax.

The witch knew it wasn't wise to keep indulging in a memory, but it had been the best sex she ever experienced and so, was quite addictive. To make things worse, she was beginning to have dreams about the Potions Master again, just as she had in school. But the Severus in the pensieve was not the Severus that currently resided at Hogwarts. The Severus at Hogwarts had already had his fill of her.

Still, Hermione knew when she saw the Potions Master, she would have a reaction to him. She only hoped it was something he wouldn't detect.

She arrived in front of the Potions office and hesitated. Gods, how would she react to him? She took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in," the Professor called.

The familiar voice caused a thrill to run through Hermione's body.

"Gods, I'm reacting to him like a randy seventh year," Hermione thought to herself as she opened the door and walked in.

Severus was sitting behind his desk, his black eyes resting on the witch.

"Good evening, Hermione. Please take a seat," he said gesturing to the small rickety chair before him.

"Good evening, Severus," she said, a little quaver in her voice.

The Potions Master caught it immediately. The witch sounded nervous. His eyes swept over her, noticing how her eyes shifted. She was trying to hide something from him.

"I'm sorry I never managed to make time for you over the past weeks. I've been quite busy. Perhaps we can discuss whatever it was you wished to speak to me about after we have gone over Mathias' marks," he said silkily.

"Perhaps," Hermione said.

Suddenly, she didn't think she could do it. He'd be sure to see how much the pensieve affected her. Even now it was difficult to look at him and not remember him hovering over her, his body flexing…his dark eyes fixed on her face, his features contorted in pleasure as he rode her body…

"Hermione, are you all right?" the Potions Master asked her. Her eyes had gone rather unfocused.

Hermione quickly gathered herself.

"Yes, I'm fine, Severus. Mathias' mark in your class seems rather low," the witch said, warming to the topic. "I wonder if I might see his marks for myself."

Severus looked at her with amusement.

"You sound as if you think I've been unfair to the boy," the Potions Master said.

Hermione frowned slightly.

"I distinctly remember you grading me unfairly, Severus. You never gave me the marks I deserved. I don't want you sabotaging Mathias' marks the same way," she said evenly. "If he works hard, he should get the marks he deserves. He's gotten A's and A minuses in his other classes. Yours is the only B. Potions is his favorite subject. He should have an A or an A plus at least," she said rather heatedly.

Severus frowned at her.

"Hermione, perhaps you should have taken up teaching rather than becoming a Spells Mistress. Then you would have the necessary background and knowledge to make such statements," the Potions Master said coldly. "I take other things into consideration besides marks when I give my end of semester grades. It isn't all mathematical averages. It is completely possible for a student in my class to make all A marks and still get a B, and it is possible for a B student to earn an A. I take attitude, skill, talent and effort into consideration as well."

"Potions is not like other classes, Hermione. A student's abilities weigh heavily in my grading. If I give the erroneous impression that a student is top-notch because of his accumulated marks, and he blows something up because he is not adept at some other aspect of Potions Making, then the blame falls squarely on me. I will show you the boy's grades if you insist, but I must insist you trust my ability to accurately give him the grade he deserves. I've been doing this since you were toddling around in your nappies."

"I still want to see his marks," Hermione said stubbornly.

The Potions Master had suspected Hermione would want to see Mathias' grades and had them prepared for her. He passed her the parchment.

"There you go," he said.

He watched as Hermione meticulously went over Mathias' grades, her eyes shifting left to right, then pausing as she did mental calculations. After several minutes, she looked up at him.

"They still seem a bit low, Professor. Why? What are you basing these grades on?" she asked him, handing the parchment back over the desk to him.

Severus looked at her a moment. She was very protective of Mathias and had his best interest at heart. She was a good mother and concerned about him.

"Mathias has your intelligence, Hermione. He does well on assignments and tests, and has an acceptable brewing technique that is improving. His grasp of Potions is admirable. However, he needs to be challenged. When there is no struggle, a student can grow lax and comfortable. In Potions, neither is good. It makes a dangerous combination and the resulting carelessness might even cost a student his life and the lives of those around him."

"The reason I gave Mathias a lesser mark is to keep him on point and make him work harder towards perfection…the same reason I kept your marks low when you were my student. You noticed however you received perfect marks in Potions when you graduated. That was in recognition for your cumulative effort over all the years. Do you understand now?" he asked the witch.

Hermione studied the wizard. For all those years she was his student, she had believed he was purposely treating her unfairly because she was a Gryffindor and because he didn't like her. Now she understood he wanted her to be challenged and to learn all she could. All of the extra credit work she did actually did increase her knowledge. She minored in Potions in university and walked away with perfect marks, she was so well prepared by the wizard. She felt a bit ashamed of herself now that she knew what he had done.

"Yes. Yes, I do," she said, beginning to rise.

Severus' black eyes looked at her sharply.

"Where are you going, Hermione?" he asked her.

"Well, I am satisfied with your answers concerning Mathias' grades. So I figured the conference was over," she said.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "The conference is over, but there was something else you wished to discuss with me. Something you felt so important you owled me at an ungodly hour of the morning asking to see me. Well, here I am. So we can discuss it now."

Hermione sat back down in the seat rather shakily. She didn't think she could talk about what happened the night he deflowered her without revealing that she was attracted to him in some way.

Severus noticed her hesitance. Hm. She was finding it hard to talk about the pensieve. He knew she would. It had to be unsettling to know that she was so aggressive that night, and that he only did what she wanted him to. It had to be unsettling to know that she liked it so much. It also had to be unsettling to realize she had wronged him the next morning when she accused him of being a lecherous bastard. There had been a little lechery on his part, yes, but she welcomed it. She had wanted him to take her. It seemed like she needed a little jump-start. Let's see how Justice Forall got her going.

"You know that Mr. Forall paid me a visit here at Hogwarts," he said to the witch, his eyebrow arched.

Hermione looked at him with such horror she looked as if a troll were barreling down on her. Severus fought back a smirk at her discomfiture.

"It seems he believed you and I engaged in some intimacy the night before at the Three Broomsticks and wanted some payback for me 'taking what was his.' Now, how did he come to that conclusion, Hermione?" the wizard asked, knowing full well the Auror had viewed the pensieve.

Hermione rolled her hands over each other nervously.

"I accidentally left the pensieve out when he came to clear out his things, and he saw a portion of it," she said in a low voice, "He didn't know how to use it and entered when I was walking up the stairs. He never saw us together talking, and never saw…saw the act itself. I snatched the pensieve away before he could see you took my virginity. Because we met in the same room, he thought it was recent."

"And you couldn't explain to him what he saw before he came storming to Hogwarts and called me out?" the Potions Master asked her, scowling a bit.

"Well, the scene was heated. We both were angry and upset. I wasn't thinking and he left in a fit of anger. I didn't know he would come here and fight with you," she said.

"You caused me a lot of pain for something that happened years ago," the wizard said in a low voice, his eyes glittering.

"What you did to Mathias and me was painful too," Hermione retorted bitterly, "I think you deserved a bit of pain too."

Severus' eyebrow arched at her admission.

"Oh, you do, do you?" he asked her.

"Yes I do," she said firmly, her chin lifted. "I know you had your reasons, but it still hurt to be abandoned."

"Maybe I did deserve it. And more," the Professor said quietly, his black eyes resting on her. "I look at Mathias and wonder if I should have taken the risk and acknowledged him. But so many people were being killed then, and I was…was rather put out by you…by your reaction. I really didn't want to be a father, Hermione. But when you had the baby, maybe I could have done something to help you. Yet, I felt you were intentionally trying to force me into fatherhood, a man you cursed for touching you."

He looked at her.

"You wanted me, Hermione. You saw the pensieve, heard what you said to me, saw what you let me do to you willingly. I had no idea that you were not lucid. I knew you were under the influence, but it wasn't that apparent. You seemed to have your sensibilities. You didn't act rip roaring drunk. You were merely uninhibited, and that could have been because of your desire for me as well as the drink. But afterwards, I did get the feeling you would regret being with me, and you did. Only when you awoke did I realize you had no recollection of what occurred the night before. But it still was affecting. I thought that we would part amicably," the wizard said, his dark eyes resting on her.

Hermione thought she saw a trace of heat in those black eyes.

"I want to apologize for that, Severus. I didn't know what happened between us for me to end up in bed with you. I assumed you got me in that room and just ravished me," she said.

The Professor's eyes glinted.

"If I had, Hermione, it still would have fulfilled your fantasy," he said in a low voice. "I ravished you in every one of the fantasies you told me about."

Hermione blushed bright red. After eleven years and a son, she could still blush. Justice must not have been doing his job.

"Are you still with Mr. Forall?" the wizard asked her, curious.

"No. We broke up the night of our meeting. He went Neanderthal on me and created a scene. We were going to part anyway, but that escalated it," she replied.

Severus calculated. That was over three months ago. So the witch was alone now. Hm. He wondered how she was dealing with her sexual needs. He studied Hermione and noticed how she flushed under his gaze and wouldn't look at him directly. She was also rather stiff. He had a sneaking suspicion that she hadn't viewed that pensieve only once.

"What happens on level three?" he asked her.

Hermione looked at him, startled.

"You're a curious witch, Hermione. You always have been. I know you entered that pensieve at level three at least once. What happened?" he pressed her.

Hermione flushed again. Gods, she couldn't discuss this with him.

"I think I'd better go, Professor," she said, starting to rise.

"Why Hermione? It's only a memory after all," he purred at her.

Hermione looked at him.

"To you it's a memory, but to me…it feels like something that just happened between us," she said, her voice trembling.

Severus cocked his head at her.

"Sit down, Hermione," he said evenly, "And tell me what happened at level three."

There was something in the wizard's voice that made her comply. Maybe something left over from her days as his pupil that made her obey him. She sat back down.

"I could feel what you felt when you took me," she said, turning red again, "All your lust, your desire, and how I felt to you. You…you didn't want to stop when you…finished."

Severus stared at her for several minutes, trying to process this. She felt his reactions to her? That must have been quite an experience.

"So you experienced my desire and my pleasure from my point of view?" he asked her.

Hermione nodded, not looking at him.

"That must have been…quite interesting," he said to the witch. "And you're right. I didn't want to stop, but you pulled an orgasm from me. You were quite delicious."

Hermione felt heat rising in her belly and squirmed a little. The Professor's eyes went hooded. He knew when a witch was getting aroused. Hermione's dealings with the pensieve had awakened the old feelings inside her. It had to be difficult for the witch to deal with, desiring a wizard who abandoned her and her son.

Hermione rose quickly.

"I really need to go, Professor," she said.

The conversation was getting on dangerous ground. She didn't want him to know she was attracted to him again.

"Certainly, Hermione," he purred at her. "Our conference was quite eye-opening, don't you think?"

Hermione looked at him.

"Yes. It was. Good-bye, Professor," she answered him, heading for the door, opening it and practically running out of his office. She didn't even close the door.

Severus sat behind his desk, looking thoughtful. Hermione had been his last parent. No one else was coming tonight. It was only going on eight o'clock, and it was Friday night. He had no classes in the morning.

His wicked side rose, as did his less wicked side.

They both started to battle.

* * *

Hermione had rushed home from Hogwarts, her body all a tingle from the tantalizing talk she and the Professor had. When he said she had been delicious, she almost went into meltdown right in his office, she felt such a powerful flare of desire.

But this was a different time. Plus, he had abandoned them. She had to keep that in the forefront of her mind. Severus had turned his back on her and Mathias for eleven years. And if Mathias weren't in Slytherin, he would still probably be showing no interest.

She quickly had put on her nightclothes and her housecoat, and went to the kitchen to make some tea to calm down. She was sitting there, drinking it when a heavy knock sounded on the door. Who could that be at this hour?

Hermione picked up her wand and cautiously went to the front door.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Professor Snape," came the reply.

Hermione's heart leapt to her throat. She stood in front of the closed door speechless.

"Are you going to leave me on your doorstep all night, Hermione? Or are you going to open the door?" the wizard asked snarkily. "It's starting to rain."

Hermione started, then opened the door.

The Potions Master stood there, tall and pale, looking down on her, his black eyes glinting. There were little droplets of water on his cloak.

"What…what are you doing here, Severus?" she asked him.

"I've come to collect the pensieve," he replied.

"To collect the Pensive?" Hermione said, stepping aside as the wizard walked in.

He turned to look at her.

"Yes, the pensieve. You are finished with it, aren't you?" Severus asked the witch.

"Yes. I mean no. I mean…you gave it to me as a gift," she said, her amber eyes looking just a bit too desperate.

"The gift was the closure you'd receive, not the pensieve itself. However, you can pour the memories into another pensieve if you like," he said evenly, knowing she probably wouldn't want to do that.

Hermione's eyes shifted as she tried to think of some way to keep him from taking the pensieve. It made the wizard the ultimate sex toy, and she didn't want that taken away.

"I'll…I'll buy it from you," she offered. "What do you want for it?"

Severus looked at her for a moment, his black eyes slowly sweeping over her tightly tied housecoat down to her petite bare feet. They returned to rest on her face, and his nostrils flared slightly.

"What are you willing to give me for it, Hermione?" he asked her.

Hermione felt warmth pulse inside her at the suggestiveness in the wizard's voice. She had to get him out of here and without the pensieve. She couldn't part with it and she couldn't have its star in her presence when she was so scantily dressed and her bedroom only a few steps away.

"Ten galleons?" she asked him.

He shook his head.

"Not enough," he replied, his eyes meeting hers.

"Twenty galleons?"

"No."

"Thirty?"

"No deal."

"Forty?"

Severus shook his head.

"Fifty?"

"No, Hermione, not fifty."

Hermione continued raising the price until she reached one hundred and twenty galleons.

Severus studied her.

"You certainly want to keep that pensieve, Hermione," he said to her silkily. "Why is that?"

Hermione's eyes shifted a bit as she looked at him. Severus knew the witch was about to tell him a lie.

"I want it because it is a record of my first time. It's…it's sentimental," she said.

"Sentimental, Hermione?" he asked her in disbelief, "You didn't even remember me fucking you."

When the Potions Master used such blatantly dirty language to describe what he'd done to her, Hermione felt a gush of wetness roll out of her.

Severus was experienced enough to know that Hermione was responding to him strongly. He was about to make it stronger. He took a step closer to the witch, who immediately stepped back. Her breathing was getting a tiny bit labored. As a wizard whose art required him to notice subtle changes, Severus caught the slight hitch in her breath as if she had announced it.

"You're lying to me, Hermione," he said silkily, "The reason you want that pensieve to remain with you is not because of sentiment. Sentiment has nothing to do with it."

Hermione looked up at the wizard, her heart starting to pound. Those dark eyes seemed to look right inside her, knowing her deepest secrets. She hoped Severus couldn't scent her arousal. Her thighs were soaked.

"I think you want to keep that pensieve so you can repeatedly experience me," he said in a low voice. "When you feel the need for sex, you enter that pensieve and relive that night, don't you Hermione?"

"No," the witch whispered, almost unable to find her voice. She couldn't tell him he was right. She couldn't admit that she was using the pensieve to relieve her sexual needs.

"Again, you are lying to me, Hermione. My very proximity has you sopping wet," he hissed at her, stepping forward again.

"You abandoned us," Hermione said, rather weakly, "You turned your back on Mathias and me. I can't want you, Severus. Not after what you've done to us."

"Ah, Hermione. You are attempting to think logically about me in a situation that defies logic. An aching body knows no logic, witch. It only wants to be filled," he breathed at her. "You can't help but want me, Hermione. First of all, you've been wizardless for three months. You are still a young witch. You have needs. Secondly, you've been using level two of that pensieve as if I was your personal sex toy."

"That's not true," Hermione lied, but Severus wasn't swayed.

Well, actually he was being swayed by both Hermione's desire and her denial. He loved to seduce witches who tried to deny they felt an urge to engage him.

"What would happen if I took that pensieve away from you, Hermione? Would you be forced back to your two-dimensional dreams and fantasies? Or would your need make you seek out anyone with a tool to satisfy you?" he asked her.

The suggestion she would shag anyone because of her need snapped Hermione back to herself. She was furious too.

"Get out! I won't give you the pensieve. I understood it to be a gift, and I am keeping it. You can't make me give it back," she hissed at him.

"You have something that belongs to me!" he hissed back at her.

Suddenly the wizard grabbed the witch, turned her and backed her against the front door, holding her in place by the closeness of his body. Severus didn't press against her but his black eyes watched as the petite witch trembled, trapped between his body and the door. He suspected if her touched her in any intimate way, Hermione would break apart.

"In fact, you lead me to believe by your reaction, Hermione, that you have two things that belong to me," he said in a low voice. "I don't believe Mr. Forall quite did it for you, even before you viewed the pensieve. I think, witch, that when you experienced me at level two it was the first time you felt fulfilled sexually by a wizard in your life."

Suddenly Hermione couldn't look at the wizard anymore. She closed her eyes. Gods, Severus was so close, she could feel the heat from his body. All the witch had to do was lean forward just a bit and she could feel him against her, hard, lean, strong, and real.

Severus watched Hermione close her eyes against him, against what she was feeling. He was so tempted to press his body against hers. Very tempted.

"Give me my pensieve, Hermione, and I will go," he said to her, his voice like silk. "You want me to go, don't you?"

Hermione didn't answer him. She felt like she couldn't think, couldn't breathe.

"Or do you want me to stay? Of course, if I do…" he paused.

Hermione's amber eyes opened and looked up at the wizard.

"You wouldn't need the pensieve tonight," he breathed at her.

With a great effort Hermione pushed past the Potions Master and spun.

"You have some nerve coming here, Severus Snape, to prey on my emotions. You knew that pensieve would affect me! You have no ethics…no morals, nothing! You just want to take advantage of me," she seethed at him.

"But think," he purred at her, "You would be taking advantage of me as well. It's clear I arouse you, Hermione. The pensieve may fulfill you, but I imagine it is rather…repetitive. You are no longer a virgin now. Sex with me could be so much more…adventurous. In the pensieve, you experienced only a 'straight shot'. Tonight, you could take a more satisfying and convoluted journey with me," he purred at her. "No one would know, Hermione. It would be our secret."

"No," she said, feeling as if she were a human torch inside. The wizard was the very incarnation of a muggle devil, tempting her, those black eyes looking straight inside her soul.

Severus frowned at her.

"I don't think I've ever seen a witch who wanted me to take her more than you do, Hermione," he observed cocking his head at her, "or one so deep in self-denial. You aren't a child, witch. If you have needs you are well within your right to have them fulfilled. There's no shame in this. A pensieve is not the answer. You'll lose yourself in a memory and not live. Your son is in Hogwarts. You have no wizard in your life. You go to work and come home to an empty house, and empty bed, to curl up with a ceramic bowl full of cobwebs and a wizard that no longer exists. It's not healthy and it's not natural. As long as you have that pensieve, you won't live, witch. You won't seek out what you need. Give it to me."

Hermione looked at the wizard she involved herself with via pensieve several times a week. He was standing here now, real and willing to make a new memory with her…but as much as her body was screaming to say yes, her mind was telling her she would be wrong to do it. It would be like rewarding him for abandoning her and her son for all these years. True, he was going to help her tell Mathias the truth, but the fact remained he was never there for them, never there for her. And he was right, she had never wanted another wizard the way she wanted him right now. It was tempting to say fuck everything that happened, just for tonight. But she would have to look at herself in the mirror, and she knew she'd be ashamed of herself afterwards. Ashamed and guilty.

Severus watched Hermione's emotion and indecision play across her face. The witch wanted him, but she was also feeling the hurt he had caused her. If he pressed her, he was sure he could seduce her…her body was completely attuned to him. But the next morning might be a replay of the scene eleven years ago, yet this time it wouldn't be directed toward him, the witch would feel self-loathing if not self-hatred.

He really would like to shag Hermione and feel her passion for him as he took his pleasure of her. Maybe she would even feel less bitter towards him if he gave her a pleasurable experience. But he really didn't want to put her through more pain. She probably wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she gave in to him.

Severus felt remorse now for abandoning Hermione and Mathias. It was slow in coming, but as he watched his son he realized he had lost something very precious when he refused to be in his life. He was always a selfish wizard, and took the selfish way out. A rather cowardly way out as well. Yes, there were mitigating circumstances, but Hermione was right when she said he was a spy, and hid hundreds of things from Voldemort. And over the years, the Dark Lord had slackened up on his scrutiny of the Potions Master, since he now infiltrated every part of the wizarding world and had hundreds of deatheaters to collect information from.

Voldemort was still a murderer, however, and did kill those he caught defying his tenets in horrible ways. Whole families disappeared. But Severus might have been able to continue to hide Mathias and Hermione publicly. He might have. But he chose not to do this. And now regret sat heavily on his soul. His actions had caught up to him.

He looked at the witch. If he seduced Hermione, the wizard could take the opportunity to tell her as he took her how sorry he was for leaving her to raise his child alone. It would be far more effective than a straight apology, he was sure. Women were very emotional during sex, and accepting. Even in his guilt, Severus was thinking like a Slytherin.

But still, Hermione's emotional state afterwards would be terrible. As much as he was driven to take advantage of her reawakened desire for him, he wouldn't press her. But if she were to live a healthy, normal life, he needed to get that pensieve away from her.

He sighed and relaxed his stance. Hermione did likewise, now that he didn't look as if he were about to pounce on her. Her heart still pounded in her chest.

"Hermione, give me the pensieve," the wizard said quietly, "So I can go before something happens between us that you will once again regret later."

Hermione looked at him.

"If you want that pensieve from me, you will have to sue me for it," she said.

Severus arched an eyebrow at her. Was she that attached to it that she would be willing to go to court over it?

"If we went the legal route, then the contents of the pensieve might become public knowledge," he said evenly. "You don't want that do you, Hermione?"

Hermione's brow furrowed.

"No I don't, but you don't either. Your little 'indiscretion' of eleven years ago would be known by the Dark Lord, and anyone who can do math and has eyes will immediately realize Mathias is your son," she replied a bit smugly. "A fact you've hidden all his life. Will it take a pensieve for you to publicly acknowledge him?"

Amber eyes met black eyes. Neither set wavered.

"You're still a stubborn, little chit," he said to her, his eyes glinting

Hermione continued to look at him mutinously.

"Very well, Hermione…you can keep the pensieve, and your little fantasy world of shagging me over and over…for now. But I warn you witch, nothing good is going to come of it. It would be better to just give yourself to me if you want me so desperately and be satisfied, then live in memory. You are thirty-one years old, a mother…and from what I can see, a good mother. But you are not emotionally mature and what you are doing is going to psychologically affect you in the long run. Who will put you back together then, Hermione? Who's going to make you whole again?" Severus asked her.

"I'll be fine," she said stubbornly, hating that he knew why she wanted to keep the pensieve, but unable to hand it over.

Severus stared at her a moment, then shook his head.

"All right, witch. You've made a choice, a very stupid choice," he said evenly, opening the front door, "but I will be back, and I will retrieve that pensieve from you, if I have to search this house from top to bottom to find it."

Hermione watched him silently as he stepped out of the door and into the night. The Potions Master turned back to her.

"And if you are terribly distraught about your loss, I will gladly leave you with a new memory to comfort you. You only have to say you want it, Hermione. It's waiting for you."

Then Severus closed the door and was gone.

Hermione slumped with relief. She didn't believe he really came for the pensieve. She thought he had come for her. He almost had her too. Almost.

The witch locked the door securely then went to find her wand to but up several protective wards.

She didn't want him coming back.

At least, that's what her mind told her.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was present in the main hall when a fifth-year Hufflepuff attempted to surreptiously cast a hex on Mathias, and the spell bounced back, making the student grow a rather long, unkempt beard. The student, who was incidentally a witch, screamed in horror and fled. Albus thought the hex was punishment enough and took no further action against the witch.

Mathias, for his part, acted as if nothing had happened as he headed for the dungeon corridor. Albus quickly caught up to the boy. Mathias looked up and his black eyes widened. He had never interacted with the Headmaster before. He stopped.

Albus looked down at him, his blue eyes twinkling merrily behind his half-moon glasses.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Granger. Do you mind if I walk with you for a bit?" Albus asked the boy.

"No sir," Mathias said, and the pair began to walk down the corridor.

"Mr. Granger, I notice you are wearing a repelling spell with a little extra kick," the Headmaster observed.

Mathias got a cold feeling in his belly. The repelling spell was quite advanced for a first year. Generally he removed it when he went to class, then reapplied it when he had to move through the castle. Most students wouldn't risk hexing him in a classroom. But the Headmaster knew he had such a powerful spell on him, this could mean trouble.

"Yes sir. I need it to keep from getting hexed. Everyone blames me for the antler hex that happened a couple of months ago and are trying to get even," Mathias explained.

Albus didn't even comment on the strength of the spell. He was Hermione's son after all. Advanced knowledge was to be expected.

"It must be difficult being targeted," the Headmaster mused.

"Yes sir. I wouldn't mind it so much if so many students weren't after me all the time. I can handle the usual stuff, Gryffindors and all that. But it feels like the whole school is after me," Mathias replied.

"I see," Albus said, then he stopped walking.

"Thank you for sparing a little of your time with me, Mr. Granger," Albus said, "Have a good afternoon."

"Yes sir," Mathias replied, then watched as the thin, tall wizard strode back up the dungeon corridor.

The Headmaster was supposed to be the most powerful wizard in the wizarding world, or close to it. But he seemed so…nice. The young wizard guessed if he could go toe to toe with Voldemort, there wasn't any need to be rude. At least the wizard wasn't stuck up about his strength. Mathias thought that was admirable, even if he was a Gryffindor.

He headed to Potions.

* * *

Albus called in all three heads of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor and told them in no uncertain terms that the mass attacks on Mathias Granger were to be brought to an end immediately. He understood the occasional hex between houses, but felt this unified effort on the parts of their charges was far out of line.

The Head of Houses grudgingly agreed. They had no choice. The mass attacks against Mathias stopped, and after a week or two, he ceased wearing the repelling charm. This didn't mean however the sneak attacks from James and his cronies ended. Mathias was their "victim of choice." But the boy stayed vigilant as Severus had directed and avoided all of their attempts to catch him off-guard. However, James wasn't as lucky.

Mathias managed to hit James with an "itchium crotchus" spell from behind as they headed for Herbology without being observed. The beautiful thing about the spell was that it started very slowly, and Mathias watched with hooded eyes as the wizard began to squirm uncomfortably, swiveling his hips…then pushing up close to the counters so no one could see him scratching. Then the scratching became more frantic and was impossible to hide as the boy began to bounce around, upsetting several plants.

"What in the world is going on here?" Madam Sprout demanded as James frantically scratched at his groin.

"I'm itching," James said, stating the obvious. All the Slytherins were laughing hysterically.

"Looks like you need a good wash, Potter," Jasmine called as James scratched at himself maniacally.

"Off to the infirmary Mr. Potter," Madam Sprout said, looking directly at Mathias, who remained straight-faced. Pomona was sure he did it, simply because he wasn't laughing like the other Slytherins. That boy was nothing but trouble.

Luckily for James, Poppy was able to stop the itching, but his balls were red and uncomfortable from all the scratching, and he walked a bit gap-legged for the next day and a half, much to the Slytherins delight.

Everyone knew Mathias had done it. But also knew he would never admit that he did.

* * *

The Christmas holidays were fast approaching. Mathias was doing well in his classes, but looking forward to going home and spending time with his mother. He missed Hermione, nagging and all. He knew she'd be quizzing him to find out just how much he'd learned, but that was fine. Every quiz she gave him would be out of love. His grandparents weren't going to be in London this Christmas. As a present, Mr. Granger surprised his wife with a two-week trip to Hawaii. So, most likely he would spend Christmas with his mother and have a nice supper at home.

He started thinking about what Professor Snape would be doing for Christmas. He was always in the dungeons, and he didn't really seem to associate with that many people. He suspected the wizard didn't have any family. Curious, he asked an older student what the Professor did during the holiday.

"As far as I know, he stays here in the dungeons," the older boy replied. "Why?"

"I just wanted to know," Mathias said obliquely.

Mathias really liked Professor Snape, though he was very sarcastic and snarky most of the time. He wasn't a very friendly wizard, but could be counted on to give good advice and to look out for his Slytherins. He was also brilliant. Mathias suspected he was almost as smart as his mother was. He was definitely smarter when it came to Potions. He seemed to know everything.

The boy wondered when the last time the wizard had Christmas dinner. A real sit-down dinner with family.

Then he got an idea. He owled Hermione and asked her if he could have a friend over for Christmas dinner during the holidays, a fellow Slytherin. He purposely didn't put down a name.

Hermione owled him back saying she would be delighted to share Christmas dinner with one of his friends. Mathias smirked at this. Now, if only the Professor would agree to come eat with them. It would be so cool to have his favorite teacher at his house. Justice Forall was out of the picture now. Mathias was glad of it. He didn't like Justice very much, though he was a little sad that his mother didn't have anyone and he was away at school. She had to get lonely. He didn't like the idea of his mother being unhappy. At least the Auror made her smile now and then.

Now, he liked Professor Snape. But he didn't think his mother would be interested in the wizard very much as a boyfriend. She seemed to have a grudge against him from when she was his student. Plus, the Potions Master, although brilliant, wasn't very good-looking because of his lank hair and big nose. Personally Mathias liked the way Professor Snape looked, kind of predatory and a little dangerous, like a hawk on the hunt. He might not be handsome, but the wizard was very graceful when he walked, and quiet too. He could walk up on an unsuspecting student and he would never know until the Professor said something. Severus had crept up on Mathias on several occasions. Luckily, he hadn't been doing anything bad.

Justice had been very handsome, and Mathias knew witches liked wizards who were physically attractive. Mathias thought his mother would do better with an intelligent wizard than a handsome one. They would have things to talk about that way. Interesting things. She wouldn't get bored with someone smart. But he couldn't pick whom his mother liked. If he could, she would like Professor Snape.

On the evening before the students left for holiday, Mathias cranked up his courage and walked to the Professor's Head of House office. He took a seat outside, since there was a student with the wizard. He waited patiently until the witch left, closing the door behind her. After waiting a moment, Mathias knocked.

"Come in," answered Severus.

Mathias pushed open the door and entered.

"Good evening, Mr. Granger. Ready to go home?" the Professor asked him. He seemed to be in a good mood. Severus was always in a good mood when the students left the castle and he could have some peace.

"Yes, sir. I'm looking forward to spending some time with my mother. She's there by herself most of the time, so I know she'll be happy to see me," he said.

"Yes, I imagine she will be," Severus replied.

Yes, Hermione spent far too much time alone most likely, with that blasted pensieve.

"Now, how can I help you, Mr. Granger?" the Professor said.

The boy took a deep breath.

"I…I wanted to invite you to my house for Christmas dinner. Mum already said it was all right," the boy said quickly. "She cooks really good, Professor."

Severus looked at the boy in astonishment.

"You want me to come to Christmas dinner at your house, Mr. Granger?" he repeated, his eyes leveled on the boy. "If you don't mind me asking, why?"

Mathias squirmed around in his seat a little. He didn't want to tell the Professor he liked him. That sounded so lame and too personal. He furrowed his brow in thought as Severus looked at him with a slightly amused expression on his face. Imagine, the boy wanted him to come to his house. Extraordinary.

"Well," Mathias said slowly, "I kind of asked around about what you do for the holidays, and was told that you always stay here at Hogwarts. I thought you might like to have a home-cooked meal. It's just me and my mum, and there's plenty, and like I said, she already said yes."

Severus looked at him thoughtfully.

"Did you tell your mother that it was me you were inviting to Christmas dinner?" Severus asked him, highly doubting that he did. There was no way Hermione would invite him to dinner, particularly after their last confrontation.

"I told her I was inviting a fellow Slytherin. She was fine with it," Mathias replied, trying to sound above board.

He suspected his mum wouldn't let Professor Snape come if she knew it was him, which was why he hadn't told her. When he went home, he would do his best not to talk about the dinner at all. His mother was usually preoccupied with something or the other. Her mind was always working, so he was rather confident that he could avoid naming Professor Snape, at least until the last minute, when it would be too late. Hermione could yell at him later.

"Did you now," Professor Snape replied, still looking thoughtful.

Hm. It really had been quite a while since Severus had a home cooked Christmas dinner. And the idea of Hermione's shock at him walking through the door for supper appealed to him very much. Who knew? Maybe he could get hold of that damned pensieve somehow. Plus, the witch had practically set herself up for this. She hadn't asked the boy exactly whom he was inviting. It was just too delicious to resist.

"I think I will take you up on your offer, Mr. Granger. But I warn you, I am a picky eater. I hope your mother's cooking is up to par," he said to the boy.

Mathias grinned ear to ear.

"That's great, Professor. You'll enjoy it, I promise," the boy said enthusiastically. How cool was this? His Potions Professor having dinner with him. Excellent.

Severus looked at him, his dark eyes glinting.

"Now, Mr. Granger…what time is supper?"

* * *

Mathias arrived home for the Christmas holidays, and was immediately smothered in kisses by Hermione. He stoically took the wet kisses planted all over his face, and her surprisingly crushing embraces for several minutes, before he finally managed to get away intact and smiling stupidly. Mathias was a tough little wizard, but every boy has a weakness for his mum, and he was no different. He had missed her very much and her affection was welcome.

After Mathias got settled in, Hermione grilled him about what it was like to be in Slytherin house, and Mathias told her everyone was okay and that they stuck together for the most part. But Slytherins were about self-advancement so actually they were a loose-knit group. Generally they came together only when house rivalry threatened them as a whole. Otherwise they all went about their own business.

Hermione then asked Mathias about the antler incident, and whether or not he cast the hex. At first, Mathias was going to lie to his mother, but decided to tell her what happened. He didn't name James, but told her how four Gryffindors had caught him by the lake, took his wand and his clothes and left him naked and wandless.

Hermione was shocked and furious about this, and demanded to know why she wasn't contacted.

"Mum, Professor Snape handled it. There wasn't any reason to contact you. What were you going to do, come up to the school and embarrass me? I would have been teased if you came there," Mathias said scowling at her.

"What did Professor Snape do?" Hermione asked him, still fuming that her boy had been targeted. She felt the quality of the students in Gryffindor house had changed, when actually it hadn't. She was simply seeing the house through the eyes of Slytherin now. She didn't like what she was seeing. The boot was on the other foot now.

"Well, he didn't punish me for swimming naked in the lake, and then he told me how he was targeted by four Gryffindor wizards when he was in school too. That kind of made me feel better because I knew he knew what it was like. Then he said I could take care of it myself, but to be careful about it," Mathias said.

Hermione frowned at this. Surely Severus could have punished the Gryffindors for attacking her son. Mathias saw the expression on her face.

"Mum, if he did anything, everyone would have called me a tattletale. I wouldn't have any respect from anyone. I have to handle it myself, mum," he said plaintively.

Hermione looked at her son, then understood. It was a matter of honor. Her little boy was growing up.

"So did you cast the hex, Mathias?" she asked him.

"Yes, mum. I did. But I didn't tell anyone at Hogwarts I did. Otherwise I'd get in trouble for it, " he replied.

Hermione studied him for a moment.

"But why did you hex everyone, Mathias? I thought you said the wizards who attacked you were from Gryffindor?" she asked him, her brow furrowed.

Mathias scowled at the memory.

"Because all of the houses were teasing and laughing at me when I came into the Great Hall. So they all got it," he said a bit angrily. "They didn't have to get involved."

Hermione fought back a laugh at the terrible scowl her son wore. Mathias was as snarky as his father was. She didn't blame him for hexing as many of the students as he could though. There were times when she was in Hogwarts that she wished she could have done it.

"I understand, Mathias, but I don't want you spending all your time feuding and getting even with other students. You are at Hogwarts to learn, not to fight," she chided.

Mathias nodded. That was exactly what he had told Boyle before he took him down.

"I know mum. I'm getting good grades though," he replied.

Hermione ruffled his hair.

"Yes you are, and I am very proud of you," she said smiling at him.

Mathias felt his chest swell a little. His mum never gave him false praise. She really meant it. He was glad he made her proud. Then he looked at her soberly.

"Mum, now that Justice isn't around, what do you do?" he asked her.

"I read a lot, Mathias. I like reading," she responded.

"But all the time? Don't you go anywhere or do anything?" the young wizard asked, frowning. "I don't like thinking about you being here all by yourself. You must get sad. Maybe you can find a new boyfriend."

Hermione looked at Mathias shocked.

"You think I should find a new boyfriend, Mathias?" she asked him.

"Well, yeah mum. But not one like Justice. He was a moron," Mathias said.

"Mathias!" Hermione gasped.

"He was mum. You knew that. He couldn't hold a conversation that wasn't about his work or Quidditch. He was boring. This time you could get a smart boyfriend. Somebody you could talk about stuff with. All Justice wanted to do was sleep in your bed," Mathias said.

He didn't mention anything about the wizard sticking his penis in her.

Hermione stared at her son. She hadn't known he was so perceptive about her relationship with Justice. He did want sex all the time, which was why she held him off, and it was true there was little they had in common, though the wizard could make her laugh. An intelligent lover would be nice. But she wasn't in any state to look for anyone else right now. She had five years of Justice to get over…as well as a certain dark wizard in a pensieve.

Severus was so intense in their encounter, that she never grew tired of it. Yes, it was repetitive, but every time she entered, she was brought into the moment completely, so it never felt old. And she had learned how to enter at precise entry points. She often skipped over the pain of the deflowerment and went straight to the good stuff.

Still, she had moments when she wondered if she should have let the wizard into her bed, just to experience the "convoluted journey" he had promised her. Hermione already knew how good a lover Severus was during a "straight shot" because of the pensieve. She had no doubt that unleashed, he was probably earth shaking.

"Mum, are you all right?" Mathias asked staring at his mother. She had zoned out, and her pupils had dilated alarmingly. Hermione looked at him.

"I'm fine, Mathias," she answered him with a smile.

But the little wizard wasn't sure about that.

Hermione looked at him a moment.

"How about a little quiz?" she asked him. "I want to see if I can stump you."

Mathias smiled. This was the mum he knew.

"Sure mum," he said, settling in.

* * *

Christmas day, Mathias hid out in his bedroom as his mother prepared Christmas dinner. She had given him some great books on Potions…very advanced ones, and he had his nose in them for hours. He gave her a charmed picture of himself that could say things like, "Hi mum" and "I love you, mum." And "I'm going to beat your marks, mum." He made it hoping it would help her feel less lonely while he was at school. Hermione had loved it, her eyes filling with tears.

"Thank you, Mathias," she said, hugging him closely as his arms went around her waist. He was aware she seemed a bit shorter. His mother was short anyway, but she seemed shorter still. He was growing. Soon he'd be bigger than she was.

Mathias was hiding out because he didn't want Hermione asking him anything about his "friend" who was coming to dinner. He had done a fine job of avoiding the subject the past few days. He wanted it to be a surprise.

Supper was to start at five. Hermione made a roast goose, a small, glazed ham, white rice and gravy, boiled, buttered corn, string beans, treacle pudding and pumpkin pie. The smells in the kitchen were awesome, and Mathias drifted in, led by his nose.

"Wow, mum, it smells great in here!" he exclaimed, salivating a little as she basted the perfectly browned goose. Hermione was wearing a bright, Christmassy sweater, blue jeans and trainers, her hair up in a bun. She wore an apron and an oven mitt.

The witch turned and smiled at her son.

"Did you think it would smell horrible?" she asked him, her eyes twinkling with love as she looked at the young, dark-haired wizard. She closed the over, cutting it off.

"Of course not," he replied, looking at the clock. It was ten to five. "I can't wait to eat. I'm starving."

Mathias had a small breakfast of cereal that morning and skipped lunch intentionally, wanting to have plenty of room for supper.

"Does your friend have the directions to get here?" Hermione asked.

Mathias nodded.

"He'll be here soon," Mathias said as Hermione began to place the food in serving bowls. "You want me to help you set the table, mum?"

"Thank you, Mathias," Hermione said.

A white tablecloth already covered the kitchen table. Suddenly Mathias whipped out his wand and flicked it at the kitchen cabinet that held the good plates. The door flew open and three china plates shot to the table at an alarming speed, then dropped neatly in place.

"Mathias! I thought you were going to do that by hand," Hermione said to him, her heart pounding at the sight of her good china zooming across the kitchen.

"I have to stay in practice, mum," Mathias said, pointing his wand at the drawer that held the good silver and sending knives, forks and spoons flying to the table as well, then setting them down neatly beside the plates. He then sent three glasses and two wine glasses to the table. Then he put his wand away and took clean napkins out of the linen closet, folded them neatly and placed them on the table near the plates.

Hermione looked at the table approvingly.

"Very good, Mathias. But really, you could have done that by hand," she said pointedly.

"Mum, what's the sense of being a wizard if I don't use magic?" he asked her, watching as she placed the glazed ham on the table and did a warming charm on it. He licked his lips. He loved glazed ham. It was so sweet.

Hermione sighed. Thank goodness Mathias was good at spell casting.

There was a heavy knock on the door.

Mathias smiled broadly.

"He's here! I'll get it mum," he said, racing to the front door.

"All right," Hermione said to her disappearing son as he streaked away, his black locks streaming.

He was wearing a black turtleneck, black dress pants and black shoes. Mathias always wore black, white or gray. He said he was colored wrong for anything else. Hermione teased him about his fashion sense, but he didn't care. He felt he knew what he looked good in.

That knock certainly sounded heavy for a first year's knock. Maybe he wanted to make sure he was heard.

Mathias stopped by the front door, took a deep breath then opened it, smiling.

Professor Severus Snape stood there, draped in a black cloak, a bottle of wine in one hand, and two small Christmas presents in the other. The Potions Master's hair didn't look at all greasy. He must have washed it. It shined now as it fell around his face. And he smelled good too. He still had his big nose however.

"Mr. Granger," he said, nodding at the boy.

"Hello, Professor. Please come in," Mathias said politely. "Can I take your cloak, sir?"

Severus looked at the cloak rack behind the door. The boy would have to hop up to hang his cloak properly. He handed Mathias the wine and presents.

"You take these," Severus said, "bring them to your mother. I'll hang my cloak and follow you."

"Yes sir," Mathias said, still stoked that the Professor had come to his house for dinner. Mum would be so surprised. He waited until Severus hung his cloak.

"This way, sir," Mathias said, "We're eating in the kitchen. Mum thought it would be homier that way."

Severus nodded and followed Mathias, taking in the living room and the shelves of books that lined the wall. Hermione seemed to have quite the collection. Next they walked through the dining room, which had a large ornate table that was far too large for three people. He followed the boy through a white door that swung both ways into a cheery yellow kitchen. It smelled heavenly.

Hermione was facing the stove when they came in. She was removing a large, brown and totally scrumptious looking goose from the oven. Severus quickly took out his wand.

"Mum, he's here," Mathias announced with delight.

Hermione turned around with a smile, holding the goose in front of her with two oven mitts. Then she caught sight of Severus and her mouth dropped open with shock.

She let go of the goose.

Quickly, Severus flicked his wand at it, keeping the bird from hitting the floor. He levitated it over to the counter and set it down neatly. He then flicked his wand again, transferring the goose from the pan to the waiting platter, then floated it to the kitchen table, setting it beside the ham.

"Happy Christmas, Miss Granger. Thank you for having me for Christmas supper," he purred, his eyes glinting slightly with mirth.

Hermione, recovering, looked at Mathias, her hands on her hips.

"This is your friend?" she asked her son, her face frowned. He was going to get it later, that was for sure.

Mathias blanched a little.

"Mum, you said I could have someone over. He's not exactly a friend but he's my Head of House and teacher. That counts too," Mathias said.

Hermione looked at Severus.

"Welcome to supper, Professor Snape," she said through clenched teeth.

"Such a kind welcome," he replied silkily, taking a seat at the head of the table as if he belonged there.

"And look mum, he brought wine and presents," Mathias said, holding everything up for her to see.

Hermione looked at the Potions Master.

"Presents?" she asked.

Severus looked at her with a slight scowl.

"It is customary to deliver presents on Christmas, Miss Granger. Considering you so graciously invited me to break bread with you and Mr. Granger, it is fitting I should bring something to show my appreciation, don't you think?" he asked the witch evenly.

Hermione looked at Mathias' estranged father sitting at the head of the table and it all seemed like some twisted parody of the perfect family life. She sighed. He was here, so she had to let everything play out or Mathias would sense something was wrong.

"Yes, I suppose it is fitting," she responded. She took the presents and set them on the kitchen counter. "We'll open them after supper."

She quickly took out a deep bowl and filled it with never-melting ice, took the bottle of wine from Mathias and set it inside.

"I don't drink, Professor. It doesn't agree with me," she said to the wizard who arched an eyebrow at her, his mouth twisted slightly. He imagined after her night with him, she didn't drink anymore.

"Then I will enjoy the wine myself, Miss Granger," he replied. His black eyes swept over the food. Everything looked delicious. Mathias took the seat perpendicular to the wizard, leaving Hermione the seat opposite him. She sat down slowly.

"We have a moment of silence in thanks, Professor," she said to the wizard.

He nodded and watched as both Mathias and Hermione bowed their heads, their eyes closed. He saw Mathias peeked at him, and scowled so the boy quickly shut his eyes again. After several moments they both opened their eyes.

Hermione reached for the carving knife and fork.

"No, mum. We have the Professor here. He's the wizard. He should carve the goose and ham," Mathias said.

Hermione looked at her son. Severus carve the goose and roast as if he were the head of the house? No. No way.

"Mathias, I'm sure as a guest the Professor wouldn't want..." she started.

Severus stood up.

"I'd be delighted to carve, Mathias," he said to the young wizard, who smiled. Hermione made a face at Severus as she passed him the knife and fork.

Both watched as the wizard expertly cut even slices from the goose, laying them neatly on the platter.

"What part of the goose do you like best, Professor?" Mathias asked him.

Severus looked at him, then at Hermione, then back down at the bird.

"When it comes to birds I have a preference for full breasts and thighs, Mr. Granger, although sometimes I'm quite appreciative of a nice juicy butt," he said silkily, flicking his eyes at Hermione, whose whole head turned red at the innuendo.

"Eww, the butt?" Mathias said, making a nasty face and turning towards his mother. "He likes butts, mum."

Mathias noticed the witch was very red-faced. She must think butts were gross too.

Hermione didn't answer Mathias as Severus continued carving the goose, a small grin on his pale face at her discomfiture.

This was going to be a long supper.

* * *

"Pass me your plate, Mr. Granger," Severus said to Mathias.

"Um, Professor?" Mathias said, looking at the wizard hesitatingly.

"Yes, Mr. Granger?" Severus responded.

"Do you think you could call me by my first name while you're here? We're not at Hogwarts now, sir," the little wizard asked him.

Severus eyed him for a moment, as Hermione looked at her son.

"Well, since this is an informal setting, yes I can Mathias," he answered, "but you will not call me by my first name. Professor is fine. Now pass me your plate."

"Yes sir," Mathias said beaming at Severus, then at his mother as if to say "he's going to call me by my first name, mum!" He passed his plate to the Potions Master, who put a generous piece of glazed ham on it, then looked at Mathias speculatively.

"I believe you are a breast man, Mathias. Or you will be," he said, ignoring Hermione's scowl. He passed the plate back to Mathias, who thanked him and began to put more food on his plate.

"Now, Miss Granger…what kind of 'piece' would you like?" he said, smirking at her.

Hermione reddened again. The wizard was insufferable.

"A leg," she snapped.

"Ah, would that be first, second or …." Severus purred

"Just any leg, Professor," she said hurriedly.

"There's no third leg on a goose, Professor," Mathias observed, ladling gravy over his breast meat.

"So there isn't, Mathias. My counting appears to be off," Severus said, looking at Hermione again with that annoying smirk.

The Potion's Master placed a leg on her plate, along with a slice of ham and passed the plate to Mathias, who passed it to his mother.

The witch wondered if she could get away with hexing him under the table. A well placed "itchium crotchus" spell would do a good job of ending this fiasco early.

Severus served himself a generous portion of breast and ham, then sat down, accepting dishes from Mathias as Hermione picked over her food, surreptiously watching her son interact with Severus. The boy wore a look of delight on his face from the moment the Potions Master had entered the house. Clearly, Mathias liked the wizard very much. Hermione felt a bit of jealousy that her son obviously thought so much of someone else. It was childish, she knew, but she felt it anyway.

The Potions Master cut a slice of goose, swirled it in gravy and popped it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. A look of pleasure washed across his pale face, and Hermione felt a little hitch inside as she took in that familiar look. Severus' dark eyes rested on her.

"I must say, Miss Granger…you can really cook when you get going," he said suggestively.

"I told you her food was good," Mathias said to the Professor who looked at him.

"I daresay, Mathias, that your mother's cooking is not the only good thing about her," the wizard responded, causing the witch to flush again.

How much of this would she be forced to endure?

"Yes sir, she's really smart too. But you know that already, you were her teacher," the wizard said.

"Yes, I was," the Potions Master agreed, his eyes on Hermione again.

Hermione knew Severus was thinking how he taught her to move under him when he took her virginity. His eyes fairly smoldered.

Mathias noticed the Potions Master was looking at his mother quite a bit. Maybe he liked her. If he did, that was great. All that was left to do was make his mother like the Professor. Maybe if she knew all the great advice his Head of House had been giving him, she might like the wizard more.

"Professor, you were right about Jasmine," he said to the wizard, who suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Jasmine? Who's Jasmine?" Hermione asked, frowning a little.

"Jasmine is a femme fatale," Mathias said to his mother as if this would explain everything. Severus held in a groan. This wasn't good.

"A what?" Hermione said, looking at Severus. He had to be at the bottom of this. Mathias would have no idea what a femme fatale was if someone hadn't told him.

"A femme fatale. Well, she's not an actual femme fatale, more like one in training," Mathias explained. "Jasmine's a first year like me, mum. She's not old enough to be a real femme fatale, but she's still trying to control me."

Hermione glared at Severus.

"What's this all about?" she demanded.

Severus sighed. He hadn't wanted Hermione to know he had talked to Mathias about sex. She was such an uptight witch. She wouldn't take it well, though the boy needed a heads up. He was dealing with a Malfoy after all.

"He's talking about Jasmine Malfoy," the Professor said reluctantly.

"Malfoy?" Hermione repeated, horror in her voice. The Malfoys were notorious for their manipulative ways.

"Yes. Miss Malfoy took a liking to Mathias shortly after he arrived," Severus said.

"A liking to? But Mathias is only eleven years old!" Hermione said in alarm, looking at her son who was staring back at her steadily.

"Don't worry mum, I don't want to stick my penis in her or anything," Mathias said in an attempt to comfort her.

Severus closed his eyes and pinched his nose. Mathias had let out the droxies now.

Hermione turned red, then purple, then a shade of green.

"What? Severus, what have you been telling him? Oh my gods!" she yelled at the wizard, using his given name in her ire.

"Now wait a minute, Miss Granger, he came to my office already knowing about penis insertion," Severus said. "I didn't tell him anything about that. He already knew."

"How could he know that? I kept him protected," Hermione seethed.

"Children have ways of finding out things parents don't want them to know," Severus replied, looking at Mathias with an eyebrow raised. "How did you find out about sex, Mathias?"

"Well, it was a long time ago when I complained to mum about Mr. Forall sleeping in her bed when she had kicked me out of it, saying I was too big to sleep in there. But Mr. Forall was bigger than me," Mathias said, a little scowl on his face.

It was Hermione's turn to pinch her nose as Mathias poured his little heart out and Severus listened, his eyes on Hermione, both eyebrows raised now.

"She said it was different for adults when they slept together. That it had to do with sex, but she wouldn't tell me what sex was, so I looked it up. And I found out that sex is when a wizard sticks his penis in a witch. And that's what Mr. Forall was doing to mum, which was why she let him sleep with her sometimes. Not all the time. But sometimes," Mathias said, looking at his mother a bit accusingly.

Over the years Mathias found he didn't like the idea of anyone sticking his penis in his mother. They might brag about it or something. Then he would have to hex them.

Hermione looked at her son in absolute horror. If she could have melted into a puddle and oozed away from the table she would have, she was so embarrassed. She looked at Severus, who was looking at the witch thoughtfully.

"It seems Mathias' Slytherin tendency of resourcefulness manifested quite early," the wizard observed. "As did your 'research' gene, Miss Granger."

"I've known what sex is since I was seven," Mathias added helpfully.

Hermione just stared at her son. She didn't know what in the world to say.

Severus was about to comment, when there was a tap on the kitchen window. All three looked around and saw an owl on the ledge, tapping for entrance with its beak. It wore a blue collar.

"That's a Ministry owl," Hermione said, rising, walking to the window and opening it. The owl flew in and landed on the kitchen counter. It eyed the spread of food. Mathias broke off a bit of his ham and brought it over to the bird and fed it as his mother removed the parchment, opened it and read it.

"Oh no. I'd forgotten about this," she groaned looking at Mathias.

"It a warning from the Ministry saying that underage magic was performed here, and that if it happens again, you will be suspended from Hogwarts until you have a hearing," she said to her son.

"Oops, I forgot too mum," the boy said. "I've been doing magic so long at home, I forgot I'm not allowed to do it anyplace but Hogwarts now."

Severus looked at them. This was a magical household. Mathias practicing magic here shouldn't be a problem. Hermione was muggle-born, and when she was home in muggle London, the Ministry could tell if she cast a spell because she was in a non-magical area. She wouldn't think it odd to receive an owl about Mathias using a spell because of this. But Severus knew in a household where magic was done frequently, normally the Ministry didn't focus on students. They overlooked the spells cast for the most part.

Severus suspected that there had been complaints about Mathias, stemming from the antler hex. He was sure students had complained to their parents. Although Mathias was found faultless, no doubt some letters of protest had been sent to the Ministry when Hogwarts didn't punish the boy. Severus believed the Ministry had targeted his son, most likely because of the complaints and because he was the offspring of a muggle-born. There was quite a bit of DKV sentiment in the Ministry now.

The Potions Master didn't want to tell this to Hermione. It would upset her too much. But she was assistant Department Head in the Ministry's Spells Department. Maybe she could use her influence to make them ease up on Mathias.

"Miss Granger, you are an employee in a high position in the Spells Department. Surely you can use your influence to arrange some leeway for the boy," he said to her, his brow furrowed.

"Professor Snape. You may be a Slytherin, Mathias may be a Slytherin, but I am NOT a Slytherin. I will not use my position to manipulate the law," she said evenly, holding her chin high with self-righteousness as she and Mathias returned to the table.

Severus scowled at her. Giving their son a leg up was worth a bit of manipulation.

"But if he were raised performing magic freely at home, there are bound to be a few accidents," Severus said to Hermione, "Do you want to see him in a hearing because he is doing what comes naturally?"

"He will simply have to learn not to do it, Professor, and I would appreciate it if you would stop trying to tell me what's best for my son," she said, her eyes flashing. "I've been taking care of him on my own for years."

Severus shut up then, and ate the rest of his meal in silence, as did Hermione.

Mathias looked back and forth between them, but they were in that 'sullen adult' state. There would be no talking to them now. He wished he had set the table normally. The sex conversation was getting really interesting, but he had the feeling he'd better not bring it up now. It was clear his mother didn't want the Professor giving advice to him or her.

But Professor Snape was a wizard. Mathias knew he needed to learn things from a wizard's point of view, and as much as he loved his mother, she couldn't do this for him. Uncles Harry and Ron would sugarcoat or skip over things. Only Professor Snape could be counted on to tell the truth about something, even if it wasn't pleasant.

Professor Snape finished his pie. He wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"That was quite the best meal I've had in ages," he said to Mathias. "Thank you for inviting me. Everything was delicious. Now…."

He looked at Hermione.

"I believe I've worn out my welcome. I'll be going," he said rising.

Mathias leapt up.

"No! You haven't worn out your welcome, Professor. You just ate. You should rest a while before you go. Plus, we haven't opened your presents yet. Please don't leave yet," Mathias pleaded. He looked at his mother, upset.

"Mum," he said, wanting her to help him convince the Professor to stay a little longer.

Hermione wanted the wizard to leave, but the look in her son's eyes made her relent.

"Professor Snape, will you please stay a little while longer? We can move to the living room and open your presents," she said, her eyes shifting toward Mathias who was staring at the wizard, holding his breath.

Severus looked at his son.

"Maybe for a few more minutes," he conceded.

Mathias grinned and in his delight, caught the pale wizard by his hand and led him into the living room, settling him in front of the sofa.

"You sit right here, Professor," he said, leaving the room to get his mother.

Severus looked down on the coffee table. There was a photo album resting there. Curious, he picked it up and opened it.

On the first page there was a rather bedraggled Hermione, her hair plastered to her head, the witch panted and looking down at little wriggling bundle in her arms, and smiling lovingly at it.

Severus realized this was a picture of Hermione after she had given birth, and the little wriggling bundle in her arms was Mathias. He looked at the next page. It showed Hermione breast feeding the baby, then suddenly starting and yelling at the camera. He smirked. Whoever took the picture must have crept up on her. Obviously, she didn't want her milk-swollen breasts captured on film for posterity.

He turned the pages. There were pictures of Hermione and Mathias as he grew older. There was the standard blackmail photo of Mathias naked in the bathtub as a baby, his smooth, pale bottom showing as he gurgled at the camera. That would no doubt be whipped out when he brought his first girlfriend home.

Severus continued to leaf through the album, as it showed Mathias getting older. There were photos with Harry and Ron playing with him, both on brooms on either side of him, teaching him how to fly, and Hermione giving him his first wand, then Ron running screaming with his trousers on fire as the young wizard accidentally cast his first spell.

There were outings and picnics, always Harry someplace close by in the background. Severus' face went soft as he saw a picture of the boy standing alone, his arms folded and staring at the camera somberly. He looked so much like him. The wizard wondered if they might not have to move up the date of revealing his relationship to the boy, before he figured it out.

Mathias and Hermione came into the room, Hermione staring at the wizard as she noticed him thumbing through the album. He had a rather strange expression on his face and he looked up at the witch. She thought she saw a bit of remorse there. But no. Severus Snape didn't feel remorse.

"Don't look at that, Professor. The pictures are embarrassing," Mathias said, closing the book in the Potions Master's hands, then taking it and putting it back on the table. "Mum thinks it's cute to have naked pictures of me lying about in the living room. I'm going to make that book disappear one day."

Mathias had his present in his hand. He could tell it was a book of some type. He opened it, and read the cover.

"Potions Essays by the Masters," he read. The book looked very old.

"That book contains several essays that made me interested in Potions," said Professor Snape looking at the boy. "I got every single one of the essays signed by the author. It is one of a kind."

Mathias looked at it.

"This was yours?" he asked, stroking the cover reverently.

Severus nodded.

"Yes, it was. Now it is yours. I think you have a promising future in Potions, Mathias. I thought this book would inspire you like it inspired me when I was your age," he said.

"Thank you, Professor," Mathias breathed, holding the book as if it were the most precious thing in the world. He drifted off to the armchair, opened it, and starting reading, his small fingers tracing the page.

Hermione looked over at him, then back at Severus, frowning a bit.

"That's a very personal present," she whispered to him.

Severus shrugged.

"I wanted my first present to him to have some meaning," he whispered back. "I've never given him anything, Hermione."

Hermione looked over at Mathias, who was completely absorbed in the book.

"He certainly seems to like it," she commented.

"Of course he likes it. He's going to be a Potions Master," the wizard replied.

Hermione thought she caught a note of pride in the snarky wizard's statement.

"And what did you give me?" she asked him, suspecting it was some kind of sex toy.

"I'm not used to buying witches gifts, so I got you something I thought would be practical," Severus replied.

Hermione opened the small box and took out what looked like a hair tie. She looked at Severus.

"I see you didn't spare any expense," she said sarcastically.

"Actually, that didn't come cheap. It is a charmed Hair tie, from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. You put that in your hair and it will instantly become any hairstyle you wish. All you have to say is how you want it done, and it will instantly do it," he said. "I figure it would save you time when getting ready for work or a night on the town."

He was being sarcastic, he knew Hermione didn't go anywhere but to bed and the pensieve.

Hermione looked at the hair tie with new appreciation.

"That's wonderful. Thank you, Severus," she said, looking down at him.

If he had been anyone else, she would have given him a small kiss.

His dark eyes rested on her.

"Are you still using the pensieve?" he asked the witch. The embarrassed look in her eyes told him yes.

"You need to give it back, Hermione," the Potions Master said. "As I said, I will gladly give you an updated memory as replacement."

"No," she said. "I don't need that."

"I think you need it very much, Hermione. I would love to bed you again," the wizard said in a low voice. "I would do things to you that would have your toes stuck in a perpetual curl, witch."

"Severus! Mathias might hear you," she chided, heat rising in her belly.

Severus looked over at the absorbed boy.

"I think not. It appears he has inherited your gift of tuning everything out when something gets his attention," Severus said, his dark eyes glinting at her.

"It seems you need a good, hard dose of reality, witch. I might end up having to ravish you for your own good," the wizard said in an even lower voice. "I'll not have you undergoing a psychological break. Not when you have Mathias to care for."

Hermione looked at Severus a bit guiltily. She knew what she was doing wasn't healthy. But she couldn't help herself. She just couldn't give the pensieve back. It was as if it were all she had. She would really be alone without it, and she didn't want to be.

"I'll give you until the end of the school term to give my pensieve back voluntarily, Hermione. If not, be prepared for the consequences," Severus hissed at her.

Then he rose from the sofa.

"I will be taking my leave of you now, Mathias," he announced to the boy.

"Good-bye Professor," Mathias replied, not moving from either the chair or the book. He was totally into it. Severus smirked as Hermione was about to chastise Mathias for his rudeness.

"No, leave him. Like mother, like son," the Potions Master said as he looked at the boy. Hermione seemed to detect a slight look of fondness on the wizard's face. Was he starting to really care about Mathias?

She walked the Potions Master to the front door. He turned and looked at her.

"Dinner with me wasn't horribly bad was it?" he asked her.

"It was terrible," Hermione replied. "You were awful with all your innuendos."

"It was worth seeing you flush, Hermione. I know why you turn colors," he said in a low voice. He moved a bit closer to her, then looked back towards the living room.

Mathias couldn't see them.

Suddenly the Potions Master grabbed Hermione and lifted her up, drawing her against his hard, lean body and kissing her hungrily, his tongue practically raping her mouth as the witch felt herself melting against him, overwhelmed by the fire racing through her body as she gave herself over, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Severus felt himself hardening as he held the witch's petite body against him, feeling Hermione mold her curves against him and giving herself over to his kiss. She would give her body over just as willingly. It was starved for sex, he could feel it. Reluctantly, the Potions Master released her before Mathias discovered them, setting her back on the floor, his eyes smoldering into her heated amber orbs. She was quivering like a virgin.

"That is much better than a pensieve, isn't it, Hermione?" he asked the trembling witch, his voice like silk. "If our son weren't here, I'd carry you to your bedroom and take you, no matter how much you protested. Then you could blame me…again. I'd absolve you of any guilt."

Hermione blinked up at him. She almost wished Mathias wasn't here. The Potions Master could take the decision out of her hands then.

The wizard opened the door, stepped through it, then turned back to her. The expression on his face made her belly do somersaults. Gods, the wizard was so sexy, big nose and all.

"You have until the end of term, Hermione. Or I will be back," Severus said to her.

"And next time I won't be denied."

* * *

Severus had been considering something since Mathias first arrived at Hogwarts. Something dangerous. Something that could cost him his life if it didn't work. He had served Voldemort loyally, as far as the despot knew, for over thirty years. Not that this would mean that much to the wizard. He'd killed loyal deatheaters before. Yet, he was still the only deatheater he had close to Albus Dumbledore, and the wizard was just paranoid enough to want to keep him there. Even if the Dark Lord didn't kill him, Severus could count on an extended torture. But it would be worth it to keep Mathias safe.

Severus met with Albus shortly after he returned to Hogwarts, and told the old wizard what he was considering.

"Severus, he might kill you, then go for the boy," the Headmaster said with horror.

"I will not reveal who Mathias is until he finished with me," the Potions Master said, "even torture would not make me reveal that boy or his mother. Mathias is quite powerful even now, and Voldemort might take that into consideration. The boy is a half-blood, even if his mother, who is also powerful, is a muggle-born. He might accept Mathias," Severus said.

"He would want to boy to join his ranks when he reached adulthood, Severus," Albus said, his eyes dark.

"I know, Albus," the wizard said, "Perhaps Mathias will be more like me than we realize," he responded. "I could begin teaching him occulmency now, and he could help us in the fight against the Dark Lord. If he took the mark, we could study it as much as we need and find a way to remove or use the insidious spell it contains against Voldemort."

"But would Mathias be willing to do this?" Albus asked the wizard.

"If Voldemort will accept his existence, then I plan to divulge who I am to the boy as soon as possible. Not only who I am, but my history, my past…everything. I believe he will keep the secret. He is very much like me, Albus. I think he will understand, and be willing to take up the fight," the Potions Master said. "If I don't tell him I am his father soon, I suspect he will figure it out for himself, which would be disastrous."

"Are you going to inform Hermione of your intentions?" he asked the wizard.

"I haven't decided yet," Severus admitted. "I suppose I should since I promised her I would help her tell the boy I was alive. I don't know what her reaction will be to the possibility I could be killed. Though if I was, she would never have to tell Mathias who I was since the lie would become the truth. She might even hope that Voldemort will kill me."

Albus scowled at him.

"Hermione would never wish that, Severus," the Headmaster said. "She's not that kind of witch."

Severus wasn't that sure.

* * *

Exactly a week later, Severus showed up at Hermione's house unannounced. The witch opened the door, and was startled to see him. She quickly became upset, thinking he had come to try and seduce her. She wasn't ready to deal with him.

"I'm here on business, Hermione," Severus said to her quietly, whooshing past her, his robes billowing, "You don't have to worry about me acting toward you in any untoward way…tonight. I need to inform you of something."

The sober expression on the Potions Master's face made Hermione feel better about his visit. She gestured toward the living room.

"Come in, Severus. Mathias is spending the night at Harry's," she said.

Severus looked at Hermione sharply.

"Harry Potter's house?" he asked her with a frown.

"Yes," she replied, wondering why the wizard was frowning.

Severus shook his head. Obviously Mathias hadn't informed her of the feud between himself and James Potter. Well, the boy must have his reasons, so the Potions Master said nothing more about it. He walked into the living room and sat down in an armchair. Hermione lowered herself to the sofa and looked at the wizard expectantly.

Severus dove right in. He saw no reason to hesitate or mince words.

"I am going to Voldemort to tell him I have a son by a muggle-born, and am going to try to get the Dark Lord to accept him. I will not reveal who you or Mathias are until he is through with me, and has agreed to let you both live. If he does not agree, most likely I will die under his torture," the wizard said.

Hermione stared at him.

"Why do this, Severus?" she asked him.

"Because, Hermione. Telling Mathias I am his father and not being able to act as if he is my son will be a hurtful thing for the boy. I don't want to deny him any longer. But the only way I can publicly take responsibility is if the Dark Lord allows it. So I am going to go before him tomorrow and confess the boy's existence."

"So you are doing this because you want to be a true father to Mathias?" she asked the wizard.

"Yes," Severus replied.

Hermione looked at the pale man sitting across from her. Most likely Severus was about to go to his death for the right to acknowledge his son and be a father to him in every sense of the word. Hermione had mixed feelings about this. First he abandons Mathias for eleven years, then he decides to risk his life to acknowledge him. She didn't know what to think.

"There is no way I can make up for the past eleven years, Hermione. If I weren't so selfish, I would have done this when you said you were pregnant. But times were different then. The Dark Lord is still a murderous bastard, but he admires power. Mathias is going to be a very powerful wizard. He might grant him the right to live…with conditions," Severus said hesitatingly.

"Conditions? What kind of conditions?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowed.

"He might want him to take the Mark when he reaches adulthood and serve him," Severus said.

"NO! Absolutely not! Mathias will not serve the Dark Lord!" she screamed at Severus, who had expected that reaction.

"I know it sounds terrible, Hermione. It is. But perhaps, perhaps Mathias will be able to help us in the fight," the wizard said. "Perhaps he will serve as a spy."

"My son? A spy?" Hermione said, staring at Severus.

"It does run in the family," the wizard said. "The boy is very like me, Hermione. I was seventeen when I joined the Dark Lord, and twenty-one when I turned spy. Quite young. I can teach the boy occulmency, so he can hide his thoughts…"

"No," Hermione said. "I don't want Mathias involved in this."

"But he is already involved, Hermione. He is the son of a deatheater. Voldemort's evil is overtaking the wizarding world. Whether or not you want it, he is going to be affected. Now he can be like one of the beasts of the field and be herded along with everyone else when this comes to a head, or he can be a lion in the fold and try to help bring Voldemort down. Ultimately it will be his decision. If he chooses to fight, I want him prepared…that is if I am allowed to live. If not, you needn't worry. You can keep the lie that his father is dead going. Because I will be dead."

His dark eyes rested on her.

"And you, Hermione, you will no longer have to wrestle with yourself concerning me any longer. You will have the pensieve and my memory," he said quietly, standing up.

"If I live, Hermione, we will talk of Mathias' future when I return. If I die, then, never let him know who I was," the wizard said, starting for the door.

She followed him. He stopped near it, and turned to her.

"This is good-bye, Hermione. Whether it is for now or for eternity I don't know, witch, but take care of my son."

His black eyes swept over her.

"And yourself," he said quietly.

Severus opened the door. walked through and was gone.

* * *

Voldemort felt Severus reaching out to him. He hadn't heard from the wizard in months. He issued the summons and the Potions Master appeared in his deatheater garb in the sparse round throne room. A few of the original deatheaters milled about. None of the political DKV members were ever allowed here.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"Come forward and reveal yourself, Severus," the scaly wizard lisped, his red eyes resting on the Potions Master. "What news of that fool, Albus, loyal servant?"

Severus walked toward the throne, lowering his hood and removing his half-mask, sticking it in his robes pocket.

"He is still at a loss as what to do, my Lord. He has no defense against the DKV, since they are a legal organization. He laments the continued growth, my Lord, and fears you will soon be called out of exile," Severus said.

It was the truth.

"Excellent, most excellent to see him paralyzed. I am very pleased, Severus," the wizard said, a long, lipless smile splitting his face. "But I felt you reaching out for me. This means you must have something you wish to discuss."

"Yes my Lord," Severus said bowing, "My Lord, you do accept half-bloods into your ranks?"

"Yes, Severus. You know this because you yourself are a halfblood. You renounced your parents and rededicated yourself to me," the wizard lisped.

"I would ask a boon of you, my Lord," Severus said, falling to one knee and staring at the ground.

"A boon. What kind of boon?" the Dark Lord asked.

"I have a son, my Lord. A halfblood born of a muggle-born witch from a one-night tryst, my Lord. I would have you accept him. He is very powerful even at his young age," the Potions Master said.

The Dark Lord's eyes flashed redly.

"How old is this son?" he asked the wizard, frowning.

"He is eleven, my Lord and already shows the power of a wizard many times his age," the Potions Master said.

"And his mother is a muggle-born? How could you have hidden this all these years from me, Severus?" the Dark Lord demanded, his face darkening.

"I abandoned them, my Lord. Lately I have found out how powerful the boy is. And he is dark, my Lord. Worthy to serve you," Severus said.

"Abandoned them. Ah, then it was not a relationship," the Dark Lord asked.

"No, my Lord. I gave her liquor and seduced her, taking her virginity. She meant nothing to me," the wizard said.

"I see. Well, Severus, you are lucky it was nothing more. I have nothing against my deatheaters doing muggle-borns and leaving them. Leaving them with child is even more acceptable. If you had taken any responsibility, Severus, I would have killed you all. You were wise to abandon them. So you say the boy is powerful and dark?" the Dark Lord asked the Potions Master.

"Yes my Lord," the Potions Master said.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"What is the boy's name Severus?" Voldemort asked him.

Severus didn't answer. The Dark Lord looked at him thoughtfully.

"Ah Severus, you will not give me his name until I say I will allow him to live, then," the wizard said, gesturing toward Peter Pettigrew who was standing beside his throne. The rat-like wizard's nose quivered with excitement, and he hurried off.

"Very well, Severus…the boy may live as well as his mother, but you…you will suffer for not telling me of him sooner. I don't like secrets, Severus. You know this," Voldemort hissed at him.

"Yes, my Lord," Severus said, rising as two burly deatheaters walked up to him and began to remove his clothing.

Peter Pettigrew rolled out a cart containing whips, chains, shackles and scourges, a look of pure glee on his face.

"It's been a while since I've had the pleasure of tormenting you Severus. I enjoy you because you are so strong, so difficult to break," Voldemort breathed, his red eyes glittering as he looked at all the instruments of torture.

Severus was left in his boxers as one deatheater locked the shackles to his hands and feet. He stood before the Dark Lord, centering himself.

"Let's soften you up a little before we get started," the Dark Lord purred.

"Crucio!"

* * *

James had been thrilled to find a new broom waiting for him Christmas morning. James was as adept a flyer as Harry had been, and was a shoo-in to become a Seeker for his house. Despite the cold weather, he wrapped up and took the broom through his paces, accompanied by his father. James loved the one-on-one attention.

When Mathias came to spend the night the following week, James discovered Harry had also bought the young wizard a broom, which suddenly made his own gift seem less meaningful. How could his father give Mathias the same present? James felt cheated again.

When Harry, Ron, Mathias and James practiced a few Quidditch moves, James ran into Mathias so hard, he fell from his broom, hitting the ground hard. Harry yelled at him but James maintained it had been an accident. Later that night, he and Mathias got into a fight and both wizards came to breakfast with shiners. Mathias asked to go home. He left the broom at Harry's.

Hermione had been livid when her son returned from Harry's house with a black eye. She had hesitated when Harry asked for Mathias to come over, saying he had a gift for him and wanted him to stay the night. The witch remembered James running up to Mathias at Hogwarts followed by almost the entire Gryffindor house. She had hoped it was a fluke, something that would pass. Apparently, it hadn't.

"Boys fight, Hermione," Harry had said.

"Mathias doesn't fight unless he's pushed into it," Hermione replied evenly. "I'm sure your son started it, Harry. I witnessed James try to attack Mathias at Hogwarts."

"What? You have to be mistaken, Hermione. James wouldn't attack Mathias. He grew up with him for gods' sakes," the green-eyed wizard responded.

"Harry, I think James was one of four wizards who attacked Mathias by the lake at Hogwarts. They took his clothes and his wand and left him there naked. He wouldn't say who it was, but I think James was part of it," she said scowling, with her hands on her hips.

"James would never do that!" Harry declared, "He's not that kind of boy, Hermione. I didn't raise him to be mean or to gang up on other wizards."

Hermione stared at him.

"Your father was a bully, Harry," she said evenly, "You weren't, but your father was. Maybe James is like your father."

"No. No he's not, Hermione. You are blowing one incident all out of proportion. You're…you're just being overprotective," Harry declared.

"It's been more than one incident, Harry. Just think over the years, even before they went to Hogwarts. How Mathias would refuse to play with James, but never said why, and how anytime they did play together, someone would always end up hurt. They don't get along, Harry. And Mathias is disciplined. You know how disciplined he is. He doesn't like fighting though he is good at it. Something is very wrong here," she said.

Harry looked at her.

"Maybe Mathias shouldn't come over any more," he said darkly, "If you think my son is such a bloody bully, Hermione."

"Maybe he shouldn't," Hermione agreed. "Then I'd know for sure he wouldn't be returning injured."

The two friends glared at each other.

"I don't appreciate you making James out to be a bully, Hermione. He's not like that at all," Harry said.

"Ask him, then. Ask him about how he feels about Mathias then Harry," Hermione said. "If I'm wrong, then I'll apologize to both of you. But I don't think I'm wrong. Mathias has this kind of code of honor where he doesn't tell on people, Harry. I could ask him all day and he won't say a word. He tries to handle things himself. So it would be a waste of time trying to get the truth out of him. He wouldn't tell on James no matter how much he torments him."

Harry thought about this. Mathias really was closed-mouth. A Snape trait. He also showed the ability to take punishment without complaining. Another trait of his father. Harry's father James had targeted Snape for humiliation when they were students at Hogwarts. Could history be repeating itself? Was his son following in his grandfather's footsteps?

It troubled Harry when he found out how his father had been in school. He actually felt sorry for Snape, being set upon by several wizards at once and having no one to help him. Could it be his own son was doing the same thing?

"All right, Hermione. I'll find out. If he is targeting Mathias, then I'll put a stop to it. But if he isn't…." Harry said, frowning at the witch, "Then I want a full apology. This is my son you're accusing."

"Just ask him, Harry," Hermione said, frowning back at him.

"I will," Harry said, opening the door and stalking out. This was the first time in years Hermione and Harry didn't embrace each other on parting.

* * *

Harry returned home and wasted no time finding his son James, who was out flying. The wizard waved the boy in.

James zoomed toward the ground and pulled up at the last minute, stopping neatly in front of his father. He dismounted and smiled up at Harry.

"Hi dad. Did you see me? I'm getting better and better every day," the young wizard said.

"Yes, I saw James. You are really getting good," Harry replied, ruffling James' hair. "But I want you to come in the house. I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay dad. I'll put away my broom and will be right in," James said, walking toward the broom shed.

Harry walked into the house. Ginny met him at the door and gave him a peck on the lips. She looked at him.

"What's wrong, Harry?" she asked him.

Harry turned his green eyes on Ginny.

"Hermione thinks James has it in for Mathias," Harry said.

Ginny nodded and didn't say anything.

"You don't seem surprised by this," Harry said to her, frowning slightly.

"I'm not. I grew up in a house full of sibling rivalry," the witch said.

"Sibling rivalry?" Harry responded, raising his eyebrows as he looked at his wife.

Ginny sighed.

"Harry, you wear glasses but sometimes you don't see what's in front of you. Remember me telling you that you needed to spend more quality time with James, and you said he was fine?" she asked him, "Well, he wasn't fine. You said I was reading things into him that weren't there. I dropped it because I knew sooner or later it would come to this. James despises Mathias because he had to share you with him. And Mathias is not your son."

Harry was about to reply to Ginny when James walked into the house.

"I'm here dad. You said you wanted to talk to me?" the boy said.

Harry looked down at him, then at Ginny.

"Yes, I do. Come into my study, James," Harry said, walking toward the room, James following him. Ginny watched them go, her brown eyes troubled.

Harry and James entered the study.

"Sit down over here, James," Harry said to his son, pointing to an armchair.

James sat down and Harry drew up another armchair directly opposite him and sat down. The wizard had decided to skip the questions and go directly to the source.

"James, you know what legilimency is, don't you?" Harry asked his son.

"Yes, it's when you go into someone's mind and look at their memories," James replied, looking a bit nervous.

"I am going to perform it on you. Once I do, depending on what I see there, we are going to have a talk. Understand?" Harry asked him.

James swallowed and nodded. What kind of memories was his father going to be looking for? The boy had done quite a few naughty things.

"Okay, relax," Harry said, "Don't think about anything specific. I will find what I'm looking for, if it's there."

James sat very still and tried to relax as he looked at his father. Harry didn't look happy.

"Legilimens," Harry breathed, and was drawn into James' mind.

He sifted through the boy's memories, his face contorting as he witnessed a couple of conversations where James was tormenting Mathias.

"You know what a person who's mother wasn't married when she had him is called? A bastard. That's what you are Mathias. A dirty bastard. You have no dad. Even if he was alive you'd still be a bastard," James gloated at the silent, dark-haired wizard.

Frowning, Harry witnessed a few more conversations.

"I wish you'd stop coming over here trying to steal my dad. He's my dad, not yours!"

"Mathias, I hate you! I really hate you!"

Harry, his stomach feeling like lead, forwarded to his son's going to Hogwarts. He witnessed James throw a roll at Mathias and call him a bastard in front of all of Gryffindor house. Mathias had just been walking by.

Then he watched, feeling nauseous as James and three other boys followed Mathias down to the lake. It was easy to see James was the ringleader. He told the other boy to hex Mathias, and he was the one who threw a helpless Mathias' wand into the lake. James didn't want to stop tormenting him, but the others wanted to return to the castle. They put Mathias' clothes high in a tree and left him naked and wandless. They laughed as they returned to the castle. Harry pulled out of James' mind.

"I can't believe you would do something so cowardly, James," he hissed at his son. "I didn't raise you to gang up on others. I didn't know you were a bully."

James stared at his father.

"I'm not a bully. I only go for Mathias, and he deserves it. He does stuff to me too," James declared.

"You've teased him almost all his life, James. Called him names. Hated him. Why?" Harry asked the boy.

James looked at his father, his green eyes filling

"Because…because you loved him more than you loved me when we were coming up, and I'm your son!" he blurted out. "You used to always go over to his house and spend time with him…and any time he came over here, you paid more attention to him than to me. You always said he was good at everything, and hardly noticed when I did anything great. Yes, I hate him, because he took my dad," James said, tears rolling down his face now.

"James, I was always here for you," Harry said to his son.

"No. No you weren't. When I did my first broom solo, mum was here with me, not you. You were at Mathias'. And when I cast my first spell, it was only mum too. You were too busy trying to be Mathias' father. It's wasn't fair. I told him to tell you to leave him alone, but he wouldn't," James said. "He wanted you to be his dad, even if it were only pretend."

Harry remembered when Mathias came to him one day and told him that he didn't want to take up so much of his time anymore. He was eight years old. Harry had just laughed it off and told him he wasn't taking up too much of his time. Then Mathias became distant, and remained that way from that day to this. He participated grudgingly in games and outings, saying he would rather be in the basement studying than out running about. Mathias was trying to back him off then, but Harry just didn't see it. Finally, the boy's sullenness sunk in and Harry left him to his books for the most part. But he did it too late, it seemed. James had already developed a deep hatred for Mathias for the time lost.

Harry looked at his son.

"I'm sorry, James. I truly am. I didn't know how you felt…if I had known, I could have done something. You're my son. I don't love anyone more than I love you. Mathias didn't have a dad, James. I know what that's like, how sad it makes you inside. I just didn't want him to feel left out, son. That's why I spent so much time with him. Young wizards need older wizards in their lives. He didn't have anybody," Harry explained.

"But why you? Uncle Ron doesn't have any kids. He could have spent more time with Mathias. Why did it have to be you?" James asked him.

"I guess I'm just closer to Hermione than Ron is, James. I've always felt responsible for her, since we were in school. When she had Mathias and was all alone, I felt I had to help her. That's what friends do," Harry said.

"But you had me too, dad. I should have been more important than Mathias. I know aunt Hermione is your friend, but I'm your son, dad. And you weren't there for me," James said. "It was always Mathias this, and Mathias that. Mathias did a really amazing spell. Mathias said something that was outrageous. You always talked about him. Always. It wasn't fair. You married and stayed with mum. His dad didn't marry his mother, even if he did die. You tried to have two families, dad. But you really only had one. You tried make up for what his father did to him. But all you did was leave me behind," James said.

Harry blinked at his son. He hadn't known he felt like this. Harry blinked back the tears threatening to fill his own eyes. He had made James hate Mathias. Made him into a bully.

"James, I'm going to do my best to make it up to you, son. I promise you. But I want you to stop what you're doing to Mathias. It is cowardly and wrong, and makes me ashamed of you," Harry said.

James looked as if Harry had struck him.

"I told Hermione you couldn't possibly be bullying Mathias, then I find out it's true. Now I have to go back and apologize to her and to him. How do you think it makes me feel, to have to admit I don't know my own son?" Harry asked him rather bitterly.

"That's not my fault dad. It's yours," James replied, his green eyes somber.

Harry started a bit at the truth in his son's reply. James was right. Harry had no one to blame but himself. He had been so determined to be there for Hermione's son, that he had neglected his own. He made his boy resentful and bitter, giving him the impetus to be vengeful, jealous and cruel. As much as he hated to admit it, Harry had made James the way he was. He didn't know if it were too late to change him.

"Go to your room, James. You're grounded for the rest of holiday," Harry said.

James rose without a word and left the study. Harry let his head drop into his hands and sat there in the chair, feeling numb.

Presently, Ginny entered the study and walked up to the armchair, placing her hand gently on Harry's shoulder.

"A hard thing to realize that you've neglected your child, isn't it Harry?" she asked him gently.

Harry nodded, his head still in his hands. Ginny walked around the chair and knelt, pulling her husband's hands away from his face.

"But Harry, now you know how he feels. You can work on fixing it. James is still young. You can turn him around. Don't give up. He loves you," she said softly. "And so do I. It will be all right. You'll see."

Harry looked at Ginny and remembered just why he loved her. She was always there for him, always supportive, even when he made errors in judgment. She had tried to warn him about James, but she didn't bring it up again when he vehemently said she was wrong. The witch let him follow his own heart. Now she was here to mend it. Harry reached out and pulled his wife to him for comfort.

"It will be all right, Harry," she whispered, running her hand through his unruly black hair. "Don't worry, love. It will be all right."

* * *

A/N: And that's the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 3." More to come. 


	4. Daddy Dearest Part 4

**Daddy Dearest Part 4**

When Mathias returned to school, he was dismayed to enter the Potions class and find Albus Dumbledore filling in for Professor Snape. After a rather silly class about the differences between brands of lemon drops, Mathias walked up to the Headmaster.

"Excuse me, sir, but where is Professor Snape?" the boy asked the old wizard.

Dumbledore looked down at the young wizard.

"Professor Snape has taken a personal leave to handle a matter of some importance," the Headmaster replied.

Mathias thought the wizard looked rather worried.

"When will he be back?" Mathias inquired.

"To be honest, my boy, the nature of his business is such that he may not return to us," Albus said. He was unwilling to lie to Mathias. There were too many lies as it was.

A look of horror washed across the boy's face. The Professor not coming back?

"But, we can hope that he successfully completes his business and returns to us in a timely manner," Albus said to the boy kindly. "Until then, I or another staff member will cover his classes."

Mathias returned to Slytherin house feeling disheartened. Professor Snape made life more interesting at Hogwarts. If he were gone, he'd leave a gaping hole in the little wizard. What could he be doing that if he weren't successful he wouldn't return to Hogwarts? Mathias had always thought the Professor was a dedicated teacher. He'd been at Hogwarts for years and years. Surely he wouldn't leave now. Mathias didn't think anyone could teach him potions the way Professor Snape did.

Hermione wasn't religious, and hadn't raised Mathias up to be either. But the boy figured there had to be something else greater that made the world and all the people in it. It was just too well put together to be an accident. So gods could exist. And if they existed they might listen.

Mathias sat down on his bed, and tried to envision what gods would look like. He imagined they looked like people, all different colors, maybe some colored in ways people weren't. He imagined them watching and listening to things that went on in the world for entertainment. Sometimes they might do something to help things along. Mathias took a deep breath.

"Gods, if you're listening, can you do something to make sure Professor Snape comes back? He's not very nice, but he's a good teacher and I'll miss him if he goes away. I probably won't be as good in Potions as I could be either," he said a bit self-consciously. "So make him come back, okay?"

Mathias wasn't sure if the gods were listening, but he hoped they were.

* * *

Apparently the gods _were_ listening.

"Let him down," Voldemort said suddenly, the bloody scourge dangling in his scaly hand.

Severus had provided him with five days of entertainment, and he had his fill of tormenting what was left of the wizard. He wouldn't survive the day if the Dark Lord continued. He was in bad, bad shape. It was time to let him go.

Peter Pettigrew pointed his wand at the chains that ran through Severus' shackles holding him a foot off the floor, arms stretched over his head…and the wizard fell heavily to the stone tiles of the throne room, laying in a semi-dried pool of his own blood. Severus hadn't left this spot since the day of his arrival, being let down on the floor each night in the same blood, only to be jerked back up the next day, when the Dark Lord was ready to continue his torment.

Normally the wizard had his deatheaters administer punishment while he watched, but in the case of Severus and his deception, the Dark Lord thought it fitting the Potions Master suffer at his hands. He had wanted to get screams out of the wizard, but the best Severus ever gave were low, animalistic groans of agony when the pain became too much. He never screamed. Ever. But it was a goal anyway. One had to have goals.

Voldemort started out with a few rounds of the Cruciatus curse, then had the shuddering piss and shit covered wizard hoisted up by his arms. Then Voldemort descended his throne, picked up a large club and beat him viciously around his chest and solar plexus area until the wizard was badly bruised and his ribs cracked. He then had Peter feed the broken wizard some very painful bone-mending potion to fix his ribs. The Dark Lord didn't want them to break and pierce any vital organs, thus killing the wizard.

Next, he used the bullwhip, slicing through the wizards flesh on his legs, arms and back like butter, blood pouring from the gashes as Severus buckled in agony, his flesh almost completely shredded, hanging in bloody strips. Voldemort then had Peter feed him a blood-replenishing potion, so the wizard didn't bleed to death. Then he returned to the throne and let his deatheaters use Severus as a punching bag. He did keep them from punching him in the groin however. That area was to remain untouched. He didn't want the wizard's sexual organs ruined. He liked to watch him shag on occasion.

Even the female deatheaters got in on the action, raking his face with their nails and pinching his nipples, laughing hysterically as they did so. Finally, the wizard was lowered to the floor, some soup forced down him and left to lay in his own blood and excrement. The following days were much the same, and Severus floated in and out of consciousness.

Severus retreated inwardly as much as he could, bringing to mind Mathias' beaming face, and Hermione's desire-filled, tormented expression. He had avoided this punishment for eleven years and in his deepest heart felt that he deserved it for what he had done to his son and his mother. There was no way he could make up for that lost time. But he could keep them safe now. The price was his blood and pain in exchange for their lives. It was more than a fair exchange. It wasn't redemption for him, Severus doubted he could ever be fully redeemed in either Hermione's or Mathias eyes for the wrong he had done. But it was some sacrifice for them, something he had given to make their lives easier. Soon the truth would be out, and hopefully Mathias would feel some closure.

Severus would make the boy understand in such a way he didn't blame his mother. Hermione only did what she thought best. Mathias was a smart lad. He might be able to understand, although most likely he would still be hurt. But life was full of hurt. People with the best intentions still could let you down. People who were supposed to love you, could still hurt you. It was best the boy realized this while he was young and not approach life thinking everything was above board. It wasn't. And that was exactly how Severus planned to address the matter. Harsh reality and honesty.

These were the kinds of thoughts that went through the Potions Master's head as his body was punished. He lost himself in what was to come, leaving the present to drip down his legs to the cold stone floor. He would survive this. It was all worth it.

Voldemort looked down at the torn thing that was the Professor.

"Wake him, Peter," the wizard lisped.

Peter walked up to Severus and kicked him over with his foot. Then he pointed his wand at him.

"Ennervate!" he said.

Severus felt awareness coming back, as well as great, agonizing pain. The throne room smelled like a slaughterhouse.

"Give him enough healing potion so he can apparate, Peter," Voldemort said.

Severus felt his head lifted and something hard forced against his lips, then a warm, bitter liquid fill his mouth. He swallowed painfully, and felt a bit stronger, though his pain didn't lessen. Voldemort had his own healing brew that didn't stop pain.

"Can you apparate?" the Dark Lord asked, looking down at the wizard.

Weakly, Severus nodded. He couldn't open his eyes. They were crusted closed with blood. Dried blood also matted his hair from lying in the half-coalesced pool of his own blood night after night and he couldn't move his right arm or left leg.

"Then you may go, Severus. You were very entertaining, but alas, still no screams. Perhaps I will get an opportunity to try again in the future. I expect you to influence your son to come to my service, and help him increase his power. Now leave my presence and be thankful for your miserable life," Voldemort hissed to the wizard.

Flat on his back, Severus disapparated.

"Clean up this mess, Peter," Voldemort ordered his most loyal servant, his eyes resting on Severus' blood, fluids and excrement.

Peter did so, wishing that it was the Potions Master's bloody corpse he was removing.

* * *

Albus was in his office when the alarm sounded signaling Severus' return. They had installed the alarms long ago because much of the time Severus was in no condition to seek help on his own.

Quickly, Albus threw some floo powder into the floo and stepped through to the Potions Master's room. He ran into the bedroom and stopped when he saw the horrible state Severus was in. Tears filled the Headmaster's eyes as he knelt beside the wizard.

"My poor boy," he said sympathetically.

Severus' Adam's apple worked back and forth for a moment.

"Done," he rasped.

Dumbledore conjured a glass of water, lifted Severus' head gently and brought it to his mouth. The wizard drank thirstily.

"We shall take you to Poppy, and tell her you were attacked by weredogs while out gathering herbs in an undisclosed area. If she becomes suspicious, I will oblivate her memory of healing you," Albus said, standing. He pulled the sheet off the Potions Master's bed and covered him. Then he levitated the wizard with his wand carefully.

The Headmaster guided the floating wizard through the bedroom door, into the study, then towards the floo, where he cast in another handful of powder.

"The infirmary," Albus said as the flames turned green.

He navigated Severus through the floo, following close behind.

The wizard had done it. He was free to acknowledge his son.

* * *

Hermione did her best not to let Mathias know anything was bothering her when he returned from Harry's house the next day. After her confrontation with the wizard about James, she tended to Mathias' eye. All the little wizard would say was that he and James had "a difference of opinion."

When Severus had said good-bye, Hermione stood looking at the closed door for a moment, then suddenly opened it, intending on asking the wizard to wait. But Severus was gone. Most likely he had put on a silencing spell and apparated so as not to disturb her neighbors.

She owled Albus from work the next day and received an owl back saying that the Potions Master was indeed gone. They did not put details in the letters, but the gist of it was understood. That evening, after tucking Mathias in, something he complained about ("Mum, I'm too big to be tucked in,") she entered the pensieve, this time not going the whole way but just up to the initial kiss she shared with the wizard. She stayed at level one and slowed it down, and rewound it back. What she focused on was his face when she told him his nose was beautiful, then everything about him was beautiful.

The wizard's face had softened when she said that. Up to that point he was scowling slightly as if he wasn't sure he should touch her. Hermione watched herself act the initial aggressor though Severus had assumed control after the kiss.

"Kiss me," she said to the wizard, who complied.

Hermione had wanted him then…blacked out or not. Why couldn't she admit she wanted him now, wanted to experience him conscious of the act? Why was she using the pensieve when the wizard was ready and willing?

Because of the eleven years of abandonment, that's why. That was at the bottom of all of it. She couldn't move past his abandonment of Mathias, and deep down she was afraid he would hurt her again. Despite her body's yearning for Severus, her mind still had control, and her bitterness was still strong when she thought about it. The only thing was, when he was close, and telling her he wanted her, she could barely think at all.

The night of the Christmas dinner, she had almost wished Mathias wasn't there. She might have protested just a little, but if his kiss were any indication, her protests would have been quite short-lived. He would have taken her, and she would have wanted him to. Most likely for the wizard it would have been casual sex, the fulfilling of an urge. Or maybe closure for what happened eleven years ago.

But in Hermione's case, she knew sex with Severus Snape wouldn't be casual. Not for her. Not the way the wizard made her feel in the pensieve. She was sure he would be just as intense, if no more so, if she were to give herself to him like he wanted. She didn't even know why Severus wanted her. Well, she was a witch of course…but she was sure the wizard had other witches he could go to for sex. Witches that would not be as fickle as she was. Witches that would welcome him.

Maybe Severus wanted a better ending with her than last time. He had been patient, strong and passionate with her, lusty, but not a monster. Her first sexual experience had been good with him. It was the morning after that had been horrible. Maybe he wanted to fix that.

After she left the pensieve without going level two, Hermione lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Maybe he was sorry. Truly sorry. He had to be, because he was risking his life to try and right the wrong he'd done eleven years ago. He didn't have to tell Voldemort and risk death. They could simply tell Mathias and act as if nothing had changed.

But that was the crux of the matter. The Potions Master couldn't see telling the boy he was his father, then publicly treating him as if he weren't. Continuing to abandon him. Hiding it from the world as if he were ashamed of Mathias. Hermione realized the Potions Master was truly trying to do right by her son. His son.

Suddenly Hermione's heart went out to the wizard. Severus was probably being crucio'd right now, if not killed by the Dark Lord for hiding the truth all these years. Even if Voldemort accepted Mathias' existence, Severus would still pay for his treachery in not divulging her or Mathias in the very beginning, when Voldemort would have killed them. Severus might even have been spared. As it stood, he was suffering for both of them. He was paying for his mistake of eleven years ago in spades.

Hermione hoped he lived. She hoped he hadn't given his life needlessly for her and Mathias. If he died, his death would be on her conscience, even though it was his decision to go before the Dark Lord, trying to make amends.

Hermione realized that in all eleven years, she made no attempt to let Severus see the boy. True, he had told her he wanted no parts of them, but judging by his reaction to Mathias coming to Hogwarts, and seeing his own son in the flesh, maybe he would have come around. Like he came around now.

But Hermione didn't want the Potions Master going into a rage, cursing her and driving them away. He might have reacted badly. Severus had threatened to hex her while she was pregnant. He might not have hesitated to hex her with her son in her arms. Severus was so nasty when he turned her away, and she was so angered by his blatant rejection, Hermione never thought to try to bring Mathias around him.

The witch could have covered her attempts at getting his interest by "visiting" Albus or Minerva, making sure he would see her with the baby. He would have been curious…possibly. Or he might not have given a damn. Hermione suspected though, that the Potions Master might have had some small inkling of interest to see how his child was developing. Well, now she suspected he might have. Back then, she wouldn't have thought it possible.

Well all that was fire under the cauldron. The years had passed and Severus ignored them, and nothing would ever change the past. But he was facing death now for his son. The wizard must care. He had to or else why would he do such a thing?

And really, that's all Hermione ever wanted from Severus Snape.

To care about Mathias.

Hermione owled Albus back, asking him to contact her whatever time Severus returned.

The evening of the first day Mathias returned to Hogwarts, an owl tapped on her window. Hermione opened it and let the bird in, hastily removing the parchment. The message contained two words.

_**He's back.**_

That meant he had been successful. It meant he was free to claim Mathias as his son, and both she and the boy were safe from the Dark Lord's wrath. But at what price? Voldemort would expect Mathias to join his ranks. In reality, Severus may have only bought them time. But it was free time. A lot could happen in seven years.

Hermione folded up the letter, fed the owl a piece of meat, let it out and retrieved her cloak.

She was going to Hogwarts. She was going to see Severus.

* * *

Hermione arrived outside the main gates. She knew the wards to get in now, and entered quickly, running across the grounds to the castle. Instead of taking the stairs, she flooed to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey looked at her with surprise as she walked out of her office.

"Hermione! What are you doing here?" she asked the witch.

"I've come to see Professor Snape," Hermione said.

Poppy eyes went a bit dark.

"The Professor is not in any condition to see visitors, Hermione. He's been attacked by weredogs, and is lucky to be alive. I've never seen so much damage on one wizard. He's lucky he isn't dead," the medi-witch said.

Hermione was about to protest when Albus' voice sounded from behind a black privacy curtain.

"Let her in, Poppy," the Headmaster said.

"But Albus! He's in no condi…" Poppy responded, frowning.

"Let her in, Poppy. Now," the wizard ordered.

"Fine," Poppy spat. "This way, Hermione."

The medi-witch stalked to the privacy curtain and pulled it back so Hermione could enter, then dragged it back, clearly in a temper. She hated when Albus pulled rank on her. Why was Hermione here anyway? She was no relation to the Potions Master.

Then the medi-witch paused, her eyes narrowing. Mathias Granger. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin, somber demeanor. Why hadn't she seen this before?

Severus Snape fathered that child. Mathias Granger was the Potions Master's son. No wonder he got away with such devilment. Well, the DKV would be interested to know that a half-blood member fathered a child with a muggle-born. At last, she had something of worth to bring to the organization. She was feeling a bit useless. Sharing this knowledge ought to up her status in the ranks significantly.

Hermione entered the enclosure and gasped as she looked at the broken, beaten body of her son's father. Poppy had given Severus healing potions and tended his wounds, but he was so badly tormented that his body was in shock, and slow to react to the medi-witch's ministrations. She had to leave him uncovered so the sheet wouldn't stick to his open wounds.

A towel lay draped across the Potions Master's loins. Open slits crossed his arms, legs and torso, the muscle visible underneath. His body was black and blue all over, including his face and his nose had actually been set in the muggle way while Poppy waited for the potions to take effect and repair the cartilage. There seemed to be no part of his body that wasn't wounded or bruised. Hermione imagined his back was even more scarred.

"Oh my gods," Hermione breathed, tears filling her eyes as she looked at the wizard.

"Yes, he is a sad sight to behold. But he will recover," Albus said, looking up at the witch. "He did what he went to do, Hermione. You and Mathias are safe from the Dark Lord's wrath. Word will get around of this quickly, and you won't be targeted for death. It came at a great price…a price Severus was willing to pay for your safety and the safety of your son."

Hermione nodded.

"He didn't have to do it, Albus," she said in a low voice, watching Severus' chest shudder as he took a deep breath. His eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Albus looked at her.

"Ah, but he did, Hermione. He's a father, and fathers protect their families, whatever the cost," the old wizard said.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"A family? We are hardly that, Albus," she responded, holding in a snort.

"You are not married, but you are a family. You had his son. For his son's well being he must protect you as well as him, because the boy loves you. He cannot care for one without the other," Albus said, his eyes twinkling.

"Are you saying he cares for me, Headmaster?" Hermione asked the wizard, incredulously.

"I'm not saying he loves you, Hermione, but he must have some care for you, being that you have raised his son and done such a fine job of it. You and Mathias are for all intents and purposes his family, even if you never become close. Severus is a complicated wizard, Hermione. He is hard, cold and has a bit of cruelty in him. But when he makes a commitment, he stands by it unto the death. He has made a commitment to you and the boy. He will never break it. It was a long time coming, but its here now. You are both under his protection. He would die for either of you," Albus said with conviction.

Hermione stared down at Severus. Under his protection? Commitment? She would have never believed it if she didn't see for herself what the wizard had gone through to secure them from Voldemort.

The wizard groaned. Hermione started and walked toward him. She bent over the Potions Master, her amber eyes concerned.

"Severus, you made it back," she said to him softly.

"Hermione," he rasped, opening his swollen eyes. They were mere slits.

"You and Mathias. Free," he continued with effort.

"Shhh," Hermione said, "Don't talk. You're very weak."

"Water," he rasped.

Albus poured a glass of water from a pitcher resting on the table near the wizard's cot, then handed it to Hermione. The witch gently lifted the wizard's head and let him drink a bit of water, but not too much. She took the glass away from his parched lips, and lowered his head back to the pillow.

"You're going to be all right, Severus. You'll be terrorizing students again in no time," the witch said soothingly.

"Mathias," he whispered. "We must tell him. Soon."

Hermione's heart went cold. She didn't know Severus wanted to disclose who he was so soon. They had agreed to wait a few years.

"We'll talk about it later," she said to the wizard.

"Soon," Severus said again.

The wizard's eyes closed, and he fell unconscious.

Hermione straightened, her face taut. Albus studied her. He could tell the witch didn't want to address her son so soon.

"You know Hermione, Mathias is a very bright boy. He has your ability to figure things out with very few clues. A very bright boy indeed," he said, looking at the witch meaningfully.

Hermione knew the Headmaster was letting her know that Mathias might figure out Severus was his father on his own. Maybe it was better to tell him now, rather than let him go through Hogwarts for several years not knowing, or worse, figuring it out for himself and confronting them.

She looked down at Severus again.

"Yes, he is very bright," she agreed, "Let's just hope he's understanding."

She stood there a moment, then her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm so afraid he's going to hate me, Albus," Hermione said, her voice breaking, "I'm so afraid he'll never trust me again."

Albus nodded sagely.

"It is always difficult to tell the truth of a matter, Hermione. But there were mitigating circumstances. Perhaps the boy will understand why things were done the way they were. I am sure Severus will give you all the support you need. He is very adept at saying what needs to be said. Trust him. He has as much riding on this as you do, if not more. You did not abandon Mathias. You did the best you could raising him alone. Severus is the one who will have to truly face the boy. Be strong," he said, "You are doing the right thing, my dear. You'll see."

Hermione looked at the wizard, wanting to believe him, wanting to believe Mathias would come through the shock of this intact and still loving.

But she couldn't shake her doubts.

* * *

Two days after the Potions class with Albus found Mathias was in a somber mood as he sat in the common room at one of the chess tables and idly played with the pieces, making them fight each other by moving them in close proximity. The knight had just run the rook through, when Jasmine sidled over and sat down across from him.

"You seem down, Mathias," she said, looking at the pale wizard, her eyes sweeping over him. He really was quite cute in a dark, brooding way. Jasmine thought he would turn out to be tall and gorgeous when he got older.

She'd be waiting for that day.

"I am," the boy replied distractedly, surrounding the queen with pawns, who all immediately jumped her. It didn't look as if they were trying to run her through in the conventional sense as they wriggled all over her. Mathias swept them away.

"It's Professor Snape, isn't it?" Jasmine said, her ice-blue eyes resting on him.

"Yes. Class isn't the same without him," the boy muttered.

Jasmine rolled her eyes in agreement.

"I'll say. If I hear another word about the properties of lemon drops, I'll scream," she said, frowning.

Albus was extremely focused on lemon drops. He had them make up a batch today. Someone added too much citric acid however, and when the Headmaster tasted one, his face was stuck in a pucker for at least three minutes.

"The Headmaster said he might not come back," Mathias said glumly.

"Well, if he doesn't, they'll get a good replacement for him, Mathias. It's not that big a deal," Jasmine said, "He's mean anyway, and it's hard to get anything past him. Another Head of House would be much better in my opinion."

Severus did not kowtow to Jasmine's wishes or demands. She threw a tantrum in his office when she demanded another Slytherin's private room because it opened up facing the Quidditch pitch and she wanted to be able to watch the practices. Instead of moving the offending student and handing over her room, Severus took twenty-five points from Jasmine. She hadn't forgiven the wizard for that.

Now, if Jasmine had a team of coaches training her what to say to get Mathias mad, they couldn't have told her anything to top that statement.

"No one could replace him," Mathias said, his dark eyes flashing at the witch. "He's the best teacher in Hogwarts!"

Jasmine snorted.

"The best teacher? He's the meanest, most sarcastic and not to mention the ugliest Professor in the school. He always gives homework, even on the weekends and holidays, he never gives partial credit or extra credit work. He yells at us like we're peons, and he NEVER gives me what I ask for," Jasmine said angrily, "I know he's our Head of House, Mathias, but he's nothing to brag about, believe me. He might be my grandfather's associate, but I'd be glad to see him gone."

Another Slytherin, second-year Andreas Mbutu walked up to the pair and looked down at the chessboard, then at Mathias. Andreas' family was of African descent and the wizard was very dark and spoke with an accent. Andreas came from a long line of pureblood wizards, and wand magic wasn't the only thing he could do.

"Game?" he asked Mathias.

"Jasmine, you're an idiot," Mathias snarled at the witch. "Professor Snape is a good teacher and Head of House. No one can replace him, you chit!"

Andreas' black eyes widened as the wizard addressed Jasmine Malfoy. No one talked to the witch like that. Her father was a very powerful wizard and could make trouble.

"How dare you call me names!" Jasmine said to Mathias, aghast. "I have my right to my opinions, Mathias Granger!"

"Well you can keep your stupid opinions to yourself Jasmine. I want Professor Snape back, even if you don't!" the boy snapped at her.

"He is back," Andreas said quietly, twirling one of the chess pieces in his hand. "He's been back for two days now."

Mathias looked at Andreas in shock.

"He's not back," Mathias said in disbelief, all the while hoping the black wizard was right.

"Yes, he is back. Just not in class," the boy said obliquely. "He's in the infirmary."

Mathias blinked at him a moment. Jasmine was scowling at Mathias, but he didn't notice or care.

"How do you know?" Mathias asked the wizard.

"I was bored, so I used the divination of my people to find out where he was, just to see if I could. I can locate people easily with the Old Arts. They don't teach them here at Hogwarts," Andreas said. "Game?"

"No," Mathias said, "I have to go do something."

Jasmine's eyes narrowed.

"It's getting close to curfew. I know you're thinking about going to the infirmary. You'll get in trouble. I'll tell," she said.

Mathias turned on her, his face terrible. Jasmine drew back. She had never seen anyone look angrier.

"You go ahead and tell, Jasmine, and I promise I will never speak to you again. Ever," Mathias said, his eyes cold and intense.

Jasmine looked at the young wizard. Something in his eyes told her he was speaking the truth. She didn't want him to stop talking to her. It would ruin her future plans and her father would probably be very displeased.

"Fine," she snapped, "You'll probably get caught by Filch anyway."

She stood up and stalked away from the table in a temper.

Andreas watched her go, shaking his head.

"Jasmine is a pretty girl, but too bossy. I would trade her for three cows in a second," he commented.

Mathias grinned at the wizard, he couldn't help it. Trade Jasmine for some cows? Now that was a funny thought. She'd be outraged.

"I have to go, Andreas," Mathias said to the wizard, "Thanks for telling me where the Professor is."

Andreas looked at him intensely for a moment.

"You like the Professor a lot, Mathias," he stated.

"Yeah, I do," Mathias admitted to the wizard. For some reason he didn't mind telling the boy. He wouldn't have told anyone else.

"That is a very good thing," Andreas said sagely, nodding his head.

"Why?" Mathias asked him curiously.

Andreas gave him a lofty look.

"You'll find out soon enough, and when you do, I want a game," the wizard said, smiling and walking away.

Mathias looked after him, then shrugged and exited the Slytherin common room quickly.

Andreas Mbutu came from a long line of African wizards. Divining secrets was one of his spiritual gifts. But with the gift came the wisdom not to reveal all one knew. Life needed to play out. The wizard knew what the secret surrounding Mathias Granger was, but that secret was meant for others to reveal.

Andreas wouldn't say a word.

* * *

While walking down the dungeon corridor, Mathias cast a disillusionment spell on himself and moved stealthily through the castle, entering the main hall and taking the main stairwell to the shifting staircases. He made little noise as he walked. He was almost as quiet as his father.

Mathias arrived at the infirmary level and quickly took off down the hall, arriving at the great double doors. He paused and put his ear to one of the doors to listen. He didn't hear anything. Slowly and carefully he opened one of the doors and sidled in, closing it behind him. He began to walk up the aisle. Most of the curtains were pulled back, revealing the cots, but several were closed.

He eased by Poppy's office, looking in. Poppy was seated at her desk, her head thrown back, her mouth open, snoring. Mathias hurriedly tiptoed by and went to the first drawn curtain and peeked in. A male student was in there with what looked like an onion growing out the top of his head. Mathias had no idea what that was about, and withdrew his head, crossing to the next drawn curtain.

Behind this one was a young, blonde-haired witch, her feet sticking out from under the covers. She was sleeping. She looked fine. But then Mathias noticed that her feet were wrong. The right foot was on the left leg and vice-versa. He blinked, then continued on.

Behind the third curtain was the Professor. He looked terrible.

Mathias eased his way in, walked over to the cot and looked down at the wizard. He looked like something tried to kill him. He was black and blue all over, and he had wounds that were healing, slits as if he had been cut. His nose was bandaged up, and his face swollen. Mathias stared down at him worriedly.

Then the Professor groaned and opened his eyes. He made a weak motion toward the pitcher on a table near his cot…but he couldn't reach it.

Mathias, not thinking, walked over to the table and poured some water into a glass, then carried it over to the wizard.

To Severus, it looked like the pitcher lifted itself and poured water into a glass. Now the glass was coming toward him. He squinted and made out the small shimmer.

"Who's there?" he rasped softly.

Mathias remembered he was disillusioned and removed the spell, then brought the water to the Potions Master.

Severus was rather startled when Mathias appeared, and struggled to sit up. Mathias helped him as best he could, and handed the wizard the glass of water. He saw the Dark Mark on his forearm, and his brows went up. The Professor was a member of the DKV? His mum had told him it was an evil organization. The Professor wouldn't be a member of an evil organization, would he?

Then again, this was the Professor. Maybe he would.

Severus finished the water and handed the glass back to Mathias.

"Twenty points from Slytherin," he said quietly, "For unauthorized visitation, Mr. Granger. How did you know I was here? Your mother?"

Mathias looked at him. His mum knew the Professor was in the infirmary? How would she know?

"No sir. Andreas Mbutu told me," Mathias replied, setting the glass back on the table then returning to the wizard's bedside.

"Ah, Mr. Mbutu. A very talented young Slytherin. He has extraordinary gifts," the Potions Master said, his eyes resting on his son, noting the concern on his face.

"What happened to you, Professor?" Mathias asked.

"Something that was a long time coming, Mr. Granger," the wizard replied, wincing a little as he shifted in the bed.

"Maybe you should lie back down," Mathias suggested.

"No, I'm fine," Severus replied, "Why are you here?"

Mathias looked at the wizard.

"I was worried about you I guess," Mathias admitted, "The Headmaster said you might not come back. When Andreas said you were here, I wanted to see you…just to make sure you were all right."

Severus studied the boy, and his Adam's apple began to move quickly for a moment.

"Well, you can see I'm all right. I just need a few days to heal up," the wizard replied. "Now go back to your house."

Mathias stood there stubbornly.

"But what happened to you?" he asked.

The boy's chin was stuck out just like his mother's when she was being stubborn. Severus recognized the look and sighed.

"Mr. Granger…Mathias," he said softly, "I promise I will tell you what happened to me in good time. Not now, but soon. Is that enough to get you out of here so I can get my rest?"

Mathias nodded. If the Potions Master said he would tell him, he would.

"Good, now go before Poppy catches you and I am forced to deduct even more points," Severus said.

"Yes sir," Mathias said, disillusioning himself with ease. Severus was impressed.

"I'm glad you're back sir. No one could have replaced you," Mathias' voice sounded. Then the black curtain rippled and the boy was gone.

Severus stared after him.

He could hardly believe the boy came to see him. That he actually disillusioned himself, and stole into the infirmary right before curfew. Of course he had to take points from the boy, he had broken the rules after all.

But still, Mathias was worried enough to come see how he was.

Severus shook his head.

The Potions Master sincerely hoped the boy would be able to handle the truth that he was his father and not change too much.

The wizard would hate to see him change.

* * *

It took another week and a half for the Professor to recover enough to return to class. Poppy wasn't the medi-witch he remembered and took his protests over her gruel to heart, saying he was the most difficult patient she'd ever had and she'd be glad when he left her infirmary. The old Poppy would have never said that. It didn't hurt the Potions Master's feelings, but he did feel the loss of the witch he remembered. But it had to be done.

Poppy had been a happily married witch once. She was still married, since wizards and witches married for life, but her husband George left her for a younger muggle-born witch who could bear him children, and lived with her as if she were his wife. Poppy tried her best to reconcile, but once the witch became pregnant, it was over. Poppy fell into a deep depression, though she continued to work at Hogwarts. At Albus' suggestion/order she began to attend therapy meetings with other abandoned wives. It was there she met Stella Wolfington, a witch who had also lost her husband to a muggle-born.

Stella was an angry witch. Bitter at being abandoned, she began to talk about other situations where muggle-born witches had negatively affected her life. Like taking jobs from her. Poppy remembered in healer's university when she and a muggle-born witch were both trying to get the last seat in a specialized class that would have certified her for a healing position that would have increased her earnings by half. The muggle-born witch got the seat, and the course was discontinued after that.

Later Poppy found out that the reason she didn't get in the class was because of a law similar to affirmative action. Muggle-borns were favored over purebloods because they had "less opportunity". Poppy had thought it unfair. She had better grades than the muggle-born. She should have been given the seat. If the DKV had been in existence then, she probably would have. There were other instances of muggle-borns being given a leg up, in housing for example as well as grants and loans simply because their parents were muggles. Struggling purebloods had no recourse but to work and work hard to pay for their education, no matter how bad off they were.

These memories of being overlooked because of muggle-borns, coupled with her husband's abandonment, placed a seed of hatred in Poppy's heart. Voldemort's ways were horrible, but maybe he had a point about them.

Stella invited Poppy to a DKV meeting of abandoned wives and the topic was exactly what bothered Poppy, how muggle-borns were being favored and taking over every aspect of true wizarding life. Marrying eligible purebloods or else stealing husbands away. The members of the DKV were saying that Voldemort would change that. It would be illegal to abandon a pureblood witch for a muggle-born one, and there would be heavy fines, penalties and even jail time for offenders.

Poppy now believed that Voldemort had been so harsh with others because he had no recourse. He was hunted on every front, lies were told, conspiracies were formed and carried out against him by the Order, and Harry Potter was meant to kill him. He had to protect himself. But now, thanks to the efforts of true believers, Poppy believed the Dark Lord was able to put his goals in action politically and had altered his tactics in an attempt to affect positive change for purebloods. Level out the playing board. Make the laws fairer. Severus no longer coming to her broken and near death further strengthened this belief.

The idea of her husband being punished for abandoning her pleased the wounded witch. By joining the DKV and giving them information on her husband and his whore, she could help bring about change. No longer would muggle-borns be able to wrest power and position away from purebloods. No longer would they be able to steal husbands and jobs. Poppy was praying for that day. So she joined the DKV.

Providing information on any activity that went against DKV line was part of being a member. This information would be used in time to assure that whoever was practicing an undesirable lifestyle would be held accountable for it, and pay the proper penalties when Voldemort finally came into power legally. Until she figured out Mathias' parentage, Poppy had nothing to offer, and hated going to meetings and not being able to offer anything of worth. But that would change at the next meeting. Severus Snape was a long-standing member of Voldemort's ranks. His indiscretion would be great news. Poppy could hardly wait.

Hermione had visited Severus twice more while he was convalescing. Her visits were short and quiet for the most part. She didn't know what to say to the wizard. She made some small talk, but avoided the real issue. Revealing the truth to Mathias. Severus didn't press her. When he was able, he would take control of the situation, arranging the date, time and they would meet with Mathias. Hermione simply was not strong enough. He also intended to be the one to explain the entire situation.

The wizard did sense something different in the witch. It was as if she had made some kind of peace with herself. Whether it concerned him or not, he didn't know. Maybe his sacrifice in facing the Dark Lord had made some difference in her opinion of him. Maybe he had brought her some closure by going through what he did for her and his son. He still wanted to have at Hermione however. Preferably before they talked to Mathias. Her visits showed him she cared. Why else would she come when she could simply get updates from Albus?

Severus wondered if Hermione were still utilizing the pensieve. Most likely she was. He didn't bring that up either. He would address that when he came to her. The Potions Master thought that if he provided her with a satisfactory sexual experience, she would willingly let him take the pensieve with him when he departed. He knew he would have to be everything the witch needed in order to do this. He would have to outdo her first time with him, which had been quite passionate. Looking at the pretty, petite witch, he was sure he could. This time she wouldn't curse him…he'd make sure of it.

Severus didn't tell Hermione Mathias visited him in the infirmary his third night there. The wizard wasn't sure why he didn't want to divulge it to her. Perhaps it was because it was a moment shared between him and the boy. Perhaps it was because he didn't want her chastising him. Mathias was a young Slytherin after all. He was supposed to do cunning and sneaky things to perfect his art. A Gryffindor just couldn't comprehend that.

Severus returned to his Potions classes and was completely pissed at Albus' waste of his students' time. He had a lesson plan in the top drawer of his desk, the wizard could have utilized that easily. He doubted if the Headmaster even looked.

The Potions Master was forced to wear a glamour. His body was healed, but he still had bruises on his face, around his nose and eyes. It would be a few more days before he was back to normal. His first act in Potions class was to assign his pupils an enormous amount of work to catch up to where they should be in the course. Their groans didn't move him a bit. They had a syllabus. If they had been smart they would have followed it and done the assignments listed instead of bumbling about brewing lemon drops for the past two weeks.

Only Mathias didn't groan. He had followed the syllabus and done the assignments. He knew what to expect from the Potions Master upon his return. At the end of class he walked up to the Potions Master's desk and laid a stack of parchments on it. Severus looked at the pile.

"What is this, Mr. Granger?" the wizard asked.

"The assignments from the syllabus, sir. I knew you'd expect them to be done," the boy replied.

Severus looked at the parchments, then at Mathias. He was just like his mother. Hermione always stuck to her syllabus when she was his pupil.

"Twenty points to Slytherin, Mr. Granger, for having an ounce of brains," the wizard said.

Mathias grinned.

"Thank you, sir," he said. Then he stood there.

Severus had learned that whenever Mathias didn't withdraw, he had a question of some sort.

"What is it, Mr. Granger?" Severus asked.

"I…I just wanted to know how my mum knew you were sick, sir," he asked.

Severus scowled at the boy.

"Mr. Granger, you are too inquisitive. Ten points from Slytherin," Severus said, his brows drawn together. The boy really was too nosey for his own good. Severus wasn't ready to reveal the boy's mother had a vested interest in his well-being.

Mathias gave the Potions Master a little scowl himself.

"Does that mean you aren't going to tell me sir?" the boy asked.

Severus could see that Mathias was disappointed that the wizard appeared to be keeping secrets from him too. And Mathias was disappointed. Out of everyone, he thought his Head of House would be truthful with him. This was his mum after all.

"I will tell you, Mr. Granger, when I tell you about my injuries," the Potions Master replied. "You're going to have to wait."

Mathias pondered this. What did his mother have to do with the Potions Master's injuries? Something was going on here. Something he didn't know about. Something big.

"But…" the young wizard began.

Severus' face darkened.

"Mr. Granger, unless you want to lose all the points you've just gained, I suggest you be patient and leave," the Potions Master said evenly, his dark eyes glinting at the boy.

Mathias met his gaze, then lowered his eyes in defeat.

"Yes sir," the wizard said glumly. He turned and exited the classroom without another word, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

Severus watch the door close behind his son, then rubbed his eyes. The boy was just too damn smart. Severus should have never mentioned his mother in the infirmary. It implied there was more between them than just sharing Christmas dinner.

The Potions Master realized he would have to move sooner than expected. Which meant he would have to move sooner on Hermione as well. He wanted that pensieve away from the witch so she could focus on real life. On what they had to do.

As soon as his bruises cleared up, Severus would be paying the witch a visit.

* * *

Four days later found Severus' bruises gone. The healed wizard planned to visit Hermione tonight and set things straight with the witch once and for all. It was a Friday night so he could take his time with her. He had nothing to do Saturday morning. The wizard decided next weekend would be when he, Hermione and Mathias would sit down and have a heart to heart talk, finally revealing the truth to the young wizard.

Severs was about to disapparate when he heard the "foomph" of the floo and a familiar voice call him.

"Severus, are you there?"

It was the voice of Lucius Malfoy.

Severus frowned slightly at this hold-up. He had shagging to do. He walked from his bedroom into the study. Lucius' handsome head was in the flames, his gray eyes sober as he looked at the pale wizard.

"Yes, Lucius, I am here but was about to leave. I have a rather important meeting," Severus said.

"I wouldn't leave just yet, Severus. I assume your son is staying at Hogwarts this weekend?" Lucius said evenly.

The Potions Master froze. Lucius knew, which meant the information about Mathias and Hermione had moved through the ranks.

"Yes, he is," Severus said.

"Have you told him you are his father yet?" Lucius asked him.

"No, not yet," Severus said. He felt a coldness in his belly.

"Well, I have a bit of news for you," Lucius said, "It would be best if you listened."

Severus sat down in the armchair.

"Tell me, Lucius," the Potions Master said, his black eyes worried.

* * *

"He's what?" Jasmine Malfoy asked, her voice quavering as she looked at her father through the two-way mirror.

"He's Professor Snape's son," Draco said to his daughter.

"Oh my gods. No wonder he's so gah-gah over the Professor," Jasmine breathed, her eyes darkening.

"I don't think he knows yet," Draco said, an ugly smile forming on his face, "Someone should inform him."

Jasmine's eyes glittered.

"Yes father, I believe you are right," she agreed, smiling darkly.

* * *

The Slytherin common room was filled with students. Mathias and Andreas were battling fiercely on the chessboard. Carnage was everywhere. Andreas was a very good opponent. He had just taken Mathias' bishop and his Queen was in danger.

Suddenly, Andreas tensed up. Mathias didn't notice because he was concentrating on the board. The black wizard turned his head and looked toward the stairs that led to the girl's dormitory. Jasmine Malfoy appeared on the landing, looking over the group of Slytherins. Her eyes fell on Mathias and she grinned wickedly, starting down the stairs, her eyes fixed on the wizard.

Andreas stared at her for a moment, then scowled darkly.

"I concede," he said to Mathias rising quickly.

Mathias looked up at him.

"What? Why Andreas? You were winning!" Mathias complained, as the boy moved away from the table to be replaced by another Slytherin.

"I have to go, Mathias," Andreas said, his black eyes fixed on the approaching Jasmine.

He could see evil intent writhing around her like a black cloud, its tendrils reaching toward Mathias, trying to touch him.

Andreas strode toward Jasmine and blocked her path.

"What are you doing? Get out of my way…I need to talk to Mathias," she said, frowning up at the wizard. "It's important."

"Evil acts are always important to evil people," Andreas said, looking down on the witch and not moving. "You have no right, Jasmine. His father should tell him."

Jasmine looked at the black wizard.

"You know!" she gasped.

"Yes I do, and he doesn't. Let his father tell him, witch," Andreas said, his black eyes glittering.

"My father said I was to tell him, and I will not disobey my father. You have some nerve trying to order about your betters, Andreas. Get out of my way and go back to the jungle," she spat, pushing past the wizard and heading for Mathias.

Andreas glowered after her.

"I asked you to be silent and you refused. Now I will make you be silent," he said under his breath. He closed his eyes, made several intricate motions with his left hand, then brought his finger to his mouth.

"Shhhh," he said toward Jasmine, who had just reached the chess table.

She looked down at Mathias. She couldn't wait to see his reaction and the reaction of all the other Slytherins to the revelation that Professor Snape was his father. This was going to be good payback for him calling her names.

"Mathias, I think there's something you should know that my father just told me. Professor Snape is…" suddenly the witch stopped and grasped her throat, her mouth moving but no sound coming out. She began to panic as she tried to scream.

Wizard Andreas Mbutu looked at the voiceless witch evenly. He had taken her words away, just until Mathias was out of reach, which would be soon.

Everyone gathered around Jasmine.

"What's wrong, Jasmine? Can't you speak?" they all asked her

She shook her head frantically.

"Somebody hexed her," another student said.

Jasmine turned and focused on Andreas, frowning and pointing at him. The wizard turned out his pockets.

"My wand is in my room," Andreas said, as Jasmine glared at him.

Then her eyes narrowed as they fell on a piece of parchment and a quill on a nearby table. Smirking, she ran over to the table, picked up the quill and started writing quickly. Andreas' eyes went wide.

She was going to write it! She was going to write down that Professor Snape was Mathias' father and give it to him.

Many of the Slytherins were watching Andreas now. There was nothing he could do.

Suddenly, Professor Snape appeared in the entranceway.

"Mr. Granger, come with me!" he ordered. "Right now!"

Mathias quickly stood up and approached the Professor. Jasmine blanched as the dark wizard's eyes fell on her. It was clear he was furious.

"Miss Malfoy, I will see you on Monday morning," the wizard said in a low voice.

"Yes sir," Jasmine said, her voice suddenly restored.

She turned and looked at Andreas, who was wearing a rather smug look on his face as Mathias and Severus left.

Jasmine walked up to the wizard and looked into his face with disdain.

"You shouldn't have interfered Andreas. This was a matter for 'civilized' witches and wizards," she said to him nastily. "You'll be very, very sorry."

Jasmine stalked away toward the girl's dorm, all the other students staring after her and looking toward Andreas, who seemed completely unfazed by her threat or her slur.

"I take the three cows back," he thought as the pretty blonde witch stomped up the stairs, "I would trade her for a single half-grown pig and two chickens."

* * *

"Where are we going, Professor?" Mathias asked trying to keep up with the wizard's long strides as they walked down the dungeon corridor towards the main hall.

"To your mother's house," Severus replied shortly.

"Is anything wrong with mum?" Mathias asked, worriedly.

Severus thought about her use of the Pensieve.

"Nothing that can't be fixed," he said under his breath, then realized Mathias was looking at him concern in his dark eyes.

"Your mother is just fine, Mathias. We are going to have a talk. You, your mother and I," the wizard said to the boy as they turned into the main hall.

"Is this about my marks?" Mathias asked, "Or my behavior?"

"No, Mathias, it isn't. Just be patient a little while longer," the Professor said as they exited the main hall and walked on to the school grounds, heading for the gate.

Severus was in Lucius' debt. The wizard had informed him that Draco planned to have Jasmine reveal his secret to Mathias, to cause bad feelings and hopefully irreparable damage between them. Draco hoped to set Mathias down a dark path by doing this. But Lucius felt that Mathias' dark path would be better established with Severus' guidance rather then Mathias struggling alone, making mistakes and wasting his talents and skills. A disciplined descent into darkness would make the boy a better servant in the long run.

Severus had raced to stop Jasmine. Thankfully the witch hadn't told Mathias anything, though Severus wondered why. It looked as if she had been in the common room for at least a few minutes before he arrived, and Malfoys weren't known for their restraint. He would find out later.

They arrived at the main gate. Severus unwarded it, let Mathias through, followed and warded the gate back. He took hold of the young wizard's arm securely and disapparated.

Hermione was in for quite a surprise.

* * *

Barefoot, dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, her hair drawn back in a ponytail, Hermione was in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea when she heard a knock on the door.

"Who in the world is that?" she said as she walked to the door. She looked out the peephole and saw Severus' somber face.

"Oh good gods," Hermione breathed, her stomach doing a flip-flop as her pensieve lover stood on her doorstep. He looked so much better though. Taking a deep breath, the witch opened the door.

"Severus!" she said, then she looked down and saw Mathias, whose eyebrow was arched at his mother's familiar use of the Potions Master's name.

"Mathias? What…what are you doing here?" she asked him.

The boy shrugged.

"The Professor brought me here. He said we were all going to talk," Mathias said.

Suddenly his mother went very pale, buckled and fainted. Severus caught her.

"Mum? Mum!" Mathias cried, "Professor, what's wrong with her?"

The little wizard's face was white with terror. He had never seen his mother pass out before.

"She's fine, Mathias. She didn't expect to have this talk so soon," the Potions Master said to the boy, carrying Hermione into the living room and setting her on the sofa.

Mathias followed closely behind and sat next to Hermione, concern on his face.

"Will she be all right?" he asked the wizard, his voice cracking.

"Yes, she will be," Severus assured him.

The Potions Master took out his wand and pointed it at Hermione.

"Ennervate," he said.

The witch's eyes fluttered, then opened. She blinked up at Severus then looked at Mathias, who was staring at her intently.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You just passed out, mum. Are you okay?" Mathias asked worriedly.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I just…just wasn't prepared for this," she said, looking at Severus with a scowl now.

Why was he rushing this? He could have warned her…said something. Not just show up at her door with her son in tow. Her scowl grew darker.

Severus looked at her, then at Mathias.

"Mathias, could you give me and your mother a moment alone to talk?" he asked the small wizard.

Mathias looked at both of them suspiciously for a moment, then stood up.

"Yes, I can go get a pumpkin juice," he said, then he walked to the kitchen, passing through the swinging door.

Severus put a silencing ward around them. He was sure the boy was listening. And Mathias was listening, glued to the kitchen door. He heard the Potions Master cast the silencing charm and frowned.

"Why did you bring him here, Severus? I'm not ready for this!" Hermione spat at the wizard.

"Well, you just have to get ready witch. Draco Malfoy's daughter knows Mathias is my son. Draco told her. The news is moving through the ranks. By Monday, all of Hogwarts will know. I barely managed to get Mathias out of Slytherin house before Jasmine told him. Our hand has been forced, Hermione. Mathias has to know and know tonight," the wizard said, his black eyes fixed on Hermione's pale face.

"Oh gods," Hermione breathed. "So when he goes back, he's going to have to deal with this. Oh, Severus," Hermione said, letting her head fall into her hands, tears falling.

"Now is not the time for tears, Hermione. Strength is what is required. I will talk to the boy. You just listen…understand me? Now dry your eyes," Severus hissed at her.

Hermione lifted her t-shirt and dabbed at her eyes. Severus looked at her flat belly and navel, remembering what he had intended on doing tonight. Well, the fates apparently had other plans for him. He waited for the witch to pull herself together, then took down the ward.

"Mathias! Come in here," Severus called.

Mathias instantly ejected through the kitchen door. He had been waiting to be summoned. He walked into the living room. Severus pointed to an armchair.

"Sit down there," he commanded.

Mathias walked over to the chair and sat down. Severus walked to the center of the living room, looking for all the world as if he were about to give a lecture. He looked at Mathias.

"Tonight, you are going to learn something that's been hidden from you your entire life, Mathias. How you take this news is entirely up to you. I will be the one to divulge it to you," Severus said as the boy looked at him intently.

"Firstly I want to say to you that life is distinctly unfair. Things do not always work the way they should. Secondly, those who love you often hurt you by trying not to hurt you, this is also just a fact of life. We have all been hurt by those we loved at one time or another. Pain is another unavoidable aspect of life. Do you understand that?"

Mathias nodded. What was the Professor going to tell him?

"Portions of what I am going to tell you tonight, Mathias are not to be shared with anyone. It they are, my life could be forfeit. You are too young for a wizarding oath, but I believe from observing you, that you are able to keep a secret. I am risking my life on that belief, Mathias. After tonight, if you are willing, I will teach you occulmency, so no one can enter your mind and know what you know."

Mathias stared at him. Occulmency? Wow. He continued to listen…he had no intention on interrupting the Professor. He hated that.

Hermione watched Severus handle the situation. He was in total control. She began to relax a bit, but still felt rather nauseous. Mathias was attentively listening, sitting forward in the chair, his eyes glued on his father.

"Mathias, you have been lied to all your life about something very important. This lie was not meant to deceive, but meant to protect. You have to understand this. The lie was not created to hurt you, but to keep you from being hurt by the truth. But your mother and I have both decided that it is time you knew the truth, before it is either revealed to you by someone else or you figure it out for yourself. You are old enough now to handle it, unpleasant and hurtful as it is."

"This is about my father, isn't it?" Mathias asked the wizard, "I always knew something was wrong with mum's story. I knew she wasn't telling me everything."

He looked at his mother rather accusingly.

"No, she wasn't. But she had a good reason, Mathias, believe me," the Potions Master said softly."

Mathias looked at the Potions Master, and suddenly knew. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin, somber, sarcastic…dark.

"You're my father, aren't you Professor Snape?" he asked the wizard quietly.

"Yes," Severus replied, his dark eyes meeting his son's eyes.

Mathias' eyes began to cloud over, his face darkening as he looked at his mother. He started to speak when Severus strode forward and yanked up the sleeve of his robes, revealing his Mark.

"Do you know what this is?" he demanded of the boy, his face terrible.

"The DKV symbol," Mathias said, swallowing at the look on the Potions Master's face.

"No! It is the mark of the most evil, reprehensible tyrant in the wizarding world. Lord Voldemort. He has murdered and maimed thousands in the name of conquest. This is an old mark, Mathias, a mark I took long before the Dark Lord became a political being. I took this mark when he was known for what he was, a murdering despot. I served him. I am one of the original deatheaters."

"When your mother conceived you, Mathias, I was in the Dark Lord's service. The Dark Lord hates muggle-borns, and killed them whenever he could. He also killed deatheaters involved with them," Severus said.

Mathias looked at Hermione.

"Mum's a muggle-born," he said.

"Yes, she is. You need to understand something about adults and sex, Mathias. Most of the time people who engage in sex are not in love, but physically attracted to each other. Your mother and I were in such a situation, and only were together one time. I did not love her. Even if I wanted to love her, I couldn't because she was a muggle-born and Voldemort would have killed us both. I was not ready to die because I was with a witch for one night."

"When your mother came to me and told me she was pregnant, I told her to get rid of the baby. She refused to. I told her if she had the child, she would care for it herself, I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn't want to be a father, Mathias. I didn't want you, for a number of reasons. But there was more to it. If I provided any support, we would have all been killed when Voldemort discovered you existed."

Mathias stared at him.

"Your mother told you I was dead, because she didn't want you to know that you had a father that denied you. That didn't want you or care about you. She thought it would be better if you believed he was dead, rather than knew that he did exist and didn't give a damn about you. I can understand why she did that, and I am hoping you will understand as well."

Mathias looked over at his mother, who was staring down at her hands helplessly. She was crying. He looked back at the Professor.

"Why do you serve someone like that? Who kills people?" Mathias asked Severus

"Remember I told you I was targeted when I was a student at Hogwarts?" Severus asked the boy. Mathias nodded.

"I was looking to belong, to fit in, to be part of something greater. I didn't understand what Voldemort was about until it was too late. I turned myself in to Albus Dumbledore, hoping to be incarcerated in Azkaban for my crimes, but he asked me to become a spy and fight Voldemort's evil. Seeking to redeem myself, I agreed. I have been a double agent in the Dark Lord's ranks for close to thirty years. He only believes I serve him, when I serve the Greater Good," the Professor said.

Mathias absorbed this. The Professor…his father, was a spy. He didn't know how he felt about this. He looked up at the wizard.

"So why did you decide to tell me, Professor?" Mathias asked him.

"Mathias, you came to Hogwarts and were sorted into my house. I became responsible for you. It wasn't right that I interact with you, without you knowing who I am. The lie had gone on too long. Plus, you are a bright boy, you would have figured it out soon enough. We are very similar physically as well as in other ways. It was only a matter of time. I felt it better that you know."

"But what about Voldemort?" the boy said, "Won't he still try to kill us if he finds out?"

Severus looked at him.

"I told the Dark Lord about you and your mother, right after the holidays. He accepted your existence and will not trouble either of you…but there is a cost. I will tell you that later," the wizard said.

Mathias thought about this. The Professor was in the infirmary. The young wizard looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Voldemort is the one who put you in the infirmary!" the boy declared, "He punished you for fathering me."

Severus shook his head.

"He punished me for hiding your existence for eleven years. For not owning up to you. But eleven years ago he would have killed both you and your mother. He operates a bit differently now, though he still does on occasion still kill the children of such relationships as well as the parents. Because I never acknowledged or tried to be responsible toward you and am close to Albus Dumbledore he spared me, but I was tortured for five days. Yet you are your mother are safe now. It was worth it, and I finally sacrificed something for the both of you. Not that it makes up for all the years of neglect…nothing will ever make up for that, Mathias, but now you know you do have a father and who he is."

Mathias stared at him.

"I don't expect you to call me father, or dad or even acknowledge me as a parent. That is your choice. We can continue, I hope, in the manner we have since meeting each other. You do not have to take my name or show me any consideration other than as your teacher and head of house. I will, however contribute to your care and upkeep until you graduate, and make arrangements with your mother for past support."

Hermione looked absolutely shocked. She hadn't expected him to want to pay past child support. That was a lot of galleons. She looked at Mathias, who was staring up at the Potions Master. Then his dark eyes turned on her.

"You lied to me mum, all my life," he said to her quietly.

"I know Mathias, and I'm so sorry. I just didn't want you to be hurt by the truth," she said, tears falling from her eyes. "Don't hate me. I'm so, so sorry."

Mathias looked at her.

"I don't hate you, mum. I just needed to know the truth. I'm glad I finally know what it is," he said. "It hurts a little that you did it, but I know why you did it. To protect me. And that's what mums do, protect their children."

Hermione let out a sob. Mathias looked at Severus.

"It's terrible what you did to my mum, Professor. Mean too. Making her raise a baby by herself. But, if you had done anything, we probably all would be dead. And now, you went and told the truth about me to Voldemort and were tortured for it in order to make my mum and me safe, and to be able to take responsibility. You took a long time to do it, Professor, but…you did do it and that's good. I don't hate you either though maybe I should. "

Mathias fell silent, and for several minutes there was no sound in the Granger household.

Finally, Hermione spoke up.

"Mathias, are you all right?" she asked him softly. "It's a lot to absorb."

He looked at his mother.

"I think I need to spend some time alone, mum, to think things through. I don't really know how I feel right now," he said, rising from the chair. "I think I'm going to go to my room for a while."

"All right son," Hermione said softly, her heart aching for her child. What was he going through? What was he really feeling? He was so good at hiding it.

Mathias started to walk to his room, then paused, came back and kissed Hermione on her cheek.

"I love you mum," he said softly.

Tears began to fall from Hermoine's eyes as her son walked away.

Mathias walked straight past Severus without a word. The wizard watched him go quietly, his face expressionless.

"He may look like me, but he's his mother's child," the Potions Master said quietly.

Then his dark eyes rested on Hermione. With Mathias here, he couldn't act on his plans for the witch. Her amber eyes met his.

"Well, we did it. We told him, or you told him rather," Hermione said, looking up at the wizard.

"What Mathias heard tonight was only the beginning. He will have more questions for both of us. Whatever he asks you, Hermione, be truthful. We must be truthful to the boy from here on out," Severus said, "If it is something you can't handle, send him to me."

The Potions Master stared at her for a moment.

"You know witch, I was on my way here with very different plans for you," he said in a low voice. "If this situation with Mathias hadn't escalated, I wouldn't have left your house until morning."

Hermione looked up at him, hoping her voice didn't quaver noticeably when she spoke.

"You sound very sure of yourself, Severus," she said.

Severus walked over to the sofa and leaned down, his face mere inches from hers. Hermione felt her thighs tremble in reaction to his proximity.

"You probably shag me in that pensieve four nights a week, Hermione. When I come for you, you won't be able to resist me," he said silkily, "I won't let you resist me."

He looked like he was going to kiss her. Hermione closed her eyes.

Severus smirked and straightened.

"But tonight, you have a reprieve, witch," he said.

Hermione opened her eyes. The wizard saw a flash of disappointment wash across them.

"Tend to your son," he said, striding to the front door.

He let himself out.

Still on the couch, Hermione stared at the closed front door, then looked back in the direction of her son's room. As delicious as Severus made her feel, she was more concerned with Mathias. The witch knew not to disturb him. He would come out when he was ready. She picked up a cushion and hugged it to herself.

The witch knew there would be so much more to this revelation. Nothing so emotionally charged could be this easy. Mathias was a logical boy, but he had feelings too. No doubt they were in an uproar, no matter how in control he appeared.

The witch sighed.

Whatever happened, she'd try and be ready for it.

* * *

Hermione waited for Mathias to reappear, but he didn't. The witch finally went to bed, fighting the urge to check up on her son. He needed time alone.

Mathias undressed and was lying in his bed with his arms behind his head, looking up at the ceiling and thinking about what he'd learned. Professor Snape was his father. And he hadn't wanted him. The wizard hadn't helped his mother at all. He had abandoned them both.

Mathias wondered if Severus hadn't been a deatheater would he have wanted him then? Probably not. The Potions Master said he didn't want to be a father. But maybe he would have helped in other ways, by sending money to help.

The wizard used to be a deatheater and served Voldemort before he became a spy. That had to be dangerous. He might not be a good father but he was brave, and he was doing something for good. So, despite what he did to his mother, there must be something good in him to risk his life spying.

Mathias wondered how the Potions Master lived knowing he had a child he never saw? Had he ever felt guilty that he didn't help take care of him during those eleven years? The wizard had to know that one day he would come to Hogwarts. How did he feel when he saw him for the first time and learned he was sorted into Slytherin?

Yet Mathias could tell the Professor liked him when he first arrived. He didn't really show it, but somehow Mathias knew. Maybe by the way he talked to him. Then again, the Professor really didn't treat him any different then the other Slytherins. He got yelled at too, and points taken when he was caught in the wrong. The Professor also made snide remarks to him about being like his mum, like he did to Edwina Longbottom for being like her uncle and melting cauldrons, or comparing James to his grandfather whenever he did something to make the teacher mad. That was just how his father was.

His father.

It was weird, but kind of exciting too. He really liked the Professor, but didn't know how to react to him now. His mother didn't seem to be mad at him. But then she could be holding it in, or maybe she forgave him when he went to Voldemort and got tortured for them. That was very brave of him. He could have died from the torture. So the Potions Master risked his life in order to make him and his mother safe. That counted for a lot toward him making up for what he'd done.

Mathias smirked a little as he thought about how James would react. He'd probably be horrified that Professor Snape was his father and worked at Hogwarts. Everybody would be shocked. The small wizard scowled. That meant everyone would be bugging him with questions. Well, he'd stop that soon enough. They'd leave him alone. After everyone got used to the idea, they'd be all right. But right now, he had to get used to the idea he had a father. Maybe the meanest, snarkiest, most sarcastic father in the wizarding world. Maybe the bravest too. Thirty years as a spy. Wow.

Uncles Harry and Ron had to know about this. They were too close to his mother not to know. Professor Snape mentioned a wizarding oath tonight. Knowing his mother, Mathias bet she made both wizards take an oath not to tell him who his father was. Uncle Ron would have told him otherwise. He would talk about any and everything except sex. No adult wanted to talk about that, except Professor Snape.

Speaking of sex, Professor Snape had stuck his penis in his mother one time, and she became pregnant. Mathias wanted to know more about that, about how his mother came to like the Professor that much that she would let him do such a thing to her. Yes, he knew Justice did it, but Justice was very handsome. His father wasn't. His mother was younger than the Professor. She had been his student. Mathias thought most young witches wouldn't like a wizard that looked like his father, especially one so much older and so mean.

But Professor Snape was intelligent. So was his mother. She was very, very intelligent. Maybe she was just too intelligent for wizards her own age, and that's why she liked the Professor. Mathias really wanted to know what brought them together, and he wondered if they still felt any physical attraction for each other. His mother blushed a lot at Christmas dinner. Mathias hadn't ever seen her turn so red so many times. And the Professor looked at her several times…stared at her actually.

Mathias couldn't see Professor Snape acting like other wizards who liked witches. He couldn't imagine the Professor holding a witch's hand or wrapping an arm around her waist while walking down a lane, or giving roses or chocolates in a heart-shaped box. Mathias could imagine him staring at them until they agreed to let him stick his penis in them, however. The Professor had those kind of eyes that made people do things. Maybe he used them on his mother like that and she was unable to resist him.

No. Mum was too intelligent to just fall for a wizard's eyes.

Mathias rolled out of bed, walked over to the mirror and studied himself critically. He stared at his face. He thought it was a good thing he didn't have Severus' nose. Not that anything was wrong with his nose except that it was rather hooked and big. It fit his face, though. His father wouldn't look near as interesting with a small nose. But he must have been teased about it mercilessly as a child. Witches and wizards could be cruel. He had his father's skin color, and his hair though Mathias took care of his hair so it was shiny and clean looking.

His mother had a thing about hair for some reason. She always took very good care of his, trimming it neatly and keeping it washed. She showed Mathis how to wash and condition his hair by the time he was nine, and he kept up the routine. If he didn't his hair would look, well, just like the Professor's hair. To Mathias, his father's hair made him look cooler, but he wouldn't like it for himself.

Mathias studied his reflection a bit more. He definitely had Severus' black eyes. Jasmine had hissed at him to stop looking at her one day when she had said something really, really stupid and Mathias leveled his eyes on her. He saw it made her very uncomfortable, so he kept doing it until she yelled at him and left. He was going to practice using his eyes more often. His father could make students cry with his eyes.

His father. It didn't seem real to Mathias. He wondered if the Professor were going to give him his last name now. It seemed right that he should have it. It would at least let people know he had a father. Having his mother's last name was okay, but it let people know he was a bastard instantly. Technically, he would always be a bastard because his mother wasn't married when she had him. But having his father's last name wouldn't announce it so much. Mathias would have to ask his mother about it. That would be one benefit of recognizing the Potions Master as his father. Mathias was definitely Slytherin in his thinking.

Mathias took one final look at his face. He looked like his mother physically. She didn't have a bad face. Actually her face was very nice. He just had the boy version of it. He smiled like his mother, as well as frowned like her. He had her nose, mouth, eye shape and eyebrows…just a little heavier. He decided he got the best features of both his parents.

Both his parents. Wow.

Mathias got back into bed. Tomorrow he was going to ask his mother more about why she had liked Professor Snape…his father so much. He had a feeling she would tell him. In fact, he thought maybe she would be more honest about everything now. He thought that she was probably afraid to tell him the truth after hiding it so long. Probably Professor Snape was the one who said to tell him. He meant his father. Seeing Professor Snape as his father was going to take some time to get used to. It had been him and his mum for so long. Now he had two parents. Two.

Mathias rolled over and got comfortable. He thought a bit more about what benefits could come from being Severus' son. Well, he could get private potions instructions, maybe even hang out in the Potions lab and watch his father brew, learning more than he would just by being in class. He also might get a break on Gryffindor attacks too. But even if they did know the Potions Master was his father, he would still have to be vigilant.

On the bad side, teachers would be going directly to his father in a teacher/parent mode rather than to his Head of House whenever he got in trouble. They had direct access to the Potions Master…but somehow Mathias knew that Severus would keep them from doing that very often. Maybe even force them to direct parent contact to Hermione and keep him in the Head of House role. That's what Mathias would do. His father didn't have a lot of patience or time. He wouldn't spend what little he did have with other teachers discussing him.

Hm. He was thinking about himself, but how would his father handle this? All of his fellow teachers would know he had a son he didn't acknowledge for eleven years. Probably the Potions Master wouldn't care what they thought. He didn't really mingle that much. Mathias doubted very much if Severus sat in the teacher's lounge drinking coffee and chatting. More than likely if any of the staff tried to take him to task, something very ugly would happen and no one else would do it again.

Mathias smirked. His father was so snarky. The little wizard liked that about him. If he could have picked a father, it probably would have been the Professor. He would never be the perfect father, but he had the bearing that Mathias gravitated to, and he commanded respect and maybe a bit of fear wherever he went. Everyone knew he wasn't a wizard to be trifled with. Just like Mathias planned to be when he grew up.

The boy felt his eyelids getting heavy. This had been quite a day and exhaustion washed over him.

Presently, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Hermione woke up very early and fixed breakfast. It was obviously a "suck up to Mathias" breakfast because she cooked all his favorites. A small feast waited on the table, magically heated, rather than his usual bowl of cereal. There was bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes and ham. Creamy milk and fresh orange juice were also waiting.

Mathias seemed to float into the kitchen by his nose, drifting over to his chair and settling in. His eyes swept over the spread.

"Wow mum!" he breathed. "This is great."

He pulled over the eggs and started filling his plate as Hermione sat down opposite from him, her amber eyes wafting over him as if to see if there had been any noticeable changes from the night before.

"Did you wash your face and brush your teeth?" she asked him.

"Of course," Mathias said, "Food tastes nasty if you don't brush your teeth in the morning before you eat."

Hermione smiled as he filled up his plate with ham. Obviously her son had his father's sensitive sense of taste. Mathias stopped filling his plate, looking at his mother.

"Aren't you going to eat, mum?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, pulling over a plate and putting a little food on it. Mathias looked at her plate surreptiously. She didn't put a lot on it. That meant she was worried about something. She never ate a lot when she was worried. She couldn't keep it down.

They both took their moment of silence, then began to eat. Mathias didn't waste any time.

"Mum, why did you like Professor Snape so much?" he asked his mother.

Hermione looked at him, startled. She hadn't expected that kind of question from him. She expected more about how she hid the truth from him.

"Well," she said to stall, "Let me think."

Mathias ate, his eyes resting on his mother. He watched her eyes shift back and forth the way they did when she was thinking.

"Well, he was very intelligent," she began.

Mathias knew it. His intelligence was part of it.

"I liked the way he took control of everything he did. He had a very nice voice. I liked his hands too, the way he worked with them…he was so sure about everything he touched. His eyes…his eyes were so dark and deep…"

Mathias watched his mum drift off for a moment.

"Plus he was so brave. I knew he was a spy since my fourth year. To me that was exciting and daring. I also liked him because, because it was very unlikely that he would like me back, Mathias."

Mathias looked at her.

"I like him for a lot of those things, though I didn't know how brave he was. Those things you liked mum, he's still like that," Mathias remarked, his eyes resting on her to see how she would react.

"I know," she said quietly, before picking at her food again.

"So, do you still like him…that way?" Mathias asked her.

Hermione looked at him.

"Mathias, you don't ask your mother personal questions like that!" she chided him, turning red.

Yes. She did still like him like that.

"Mum, I just want to know. He is my father and you're my mother. It would make sense for you to like him," Mathias said.

"Mathias, he abandoned us. I can't just…just…like him," Hermione said darkly. "I'm not a silly young witch anymore."

"Yes, he did abandon us, mum. But look at what he just did. He saved us from Voldemort, and he almost was killed because of it. He abandoned us, but he risked his life to save us too. He's trying to make up for what he did," Mathias said. "I missed having a father, but my life wasn't bad. I had you."

"Oh, Mathias," Hermione said, her eyes glistening. Her son was so sweet sometimes.

"I don't think he's bad, mum. I think his life is bad and it affects him, but I don't think he's bad by himself. I think he's sorry he wasn't here for us now. I really do," Mathias said sincerely.

Hermione gave him a small smile.

"You've got a good heart, Mathias. A very forgiving one too," she said.

"I don't think I'm forgiving mum. It's just that there's nothing we can do about what's already happened except wish that it hadn't, and that's just a waste of time. It takes a lot of energy to be angry with someone all the time. I'd rather use my energy a better way. There's a lot Professor Snape can teach me. Since I'm his son, I figure he can teach me even more…extra things. I'd be dumb not to take advantage of that," the boy said.

Hermione stared at him.

"You really are a Slytherin, Mathias. You should be angry, but instead you are thinking of how this can benefit you," she said in a low voice.

"Yes, I'm a Slytherin, or I wouldn't be in Slytherin house," Mathias replied around a mouthful of ham.

Hermione scowled at his bad table manners and the boy swallowed and chased his food with a gulp of milk.

"Sorry," he said, then, "I want to be the best I can be, mum, and my father is the best teacher in the school and he teaches my favorite class. I want to be a Potions Master and he can teach me everything he knows. There's nothing wrong with that is there?"

Hermione looked at him.

"I suppose not," she replied.

Her son was wise beyond his years. He was only eleven and already knew it was a waste of time to dwell on situations you couldn't change. He was Slytherin in thinking, but he made sense. Severus was brilliant, the best at what he did. Mathias couldn't find a better mentor…for Potions anyway. Her son was certainly goal-oriented…just like she was. He had gotten that trait honestly.

"So mum, do you still like those things about him?" Mathias pressed.

"I'm not in his classroom any more, Mathias," she said.

Her son eyed her a moment.

"I can do math, mum. You weren't in his class when you and he…um…did sex," Mathias said evenly. "You were twenty. You graduated Hogwarts when you were eighteen. You hadn't been in his class in two years, but you still liked him."

Hermione sighed inwardly. Mathias was too smart. Just too damn smart.

"So it's possible you still like him kind of," Mathias said.

Hermione looked at her son.

"And what if I did like him, a little?" Hermione asked.

"It would be good," Mathias said, finishing off his ham.

Hermione looked at him.

"Don't you think it would be wrong for me to like a man who left you and me alone for eleven years?" she asked her son directly.

"If he were still ignoring us, it would be wrong. But he's doing his best to make things right as he can. Look at the torture he went through mum. He didn't have to do that. He did that for us. How can you not like someone who was willing to give up his life for us?" Mathias asked her. "He might not have come back. And he's willing to help support me. I'd like him if I were you."

Hermione shook her head. Children saw things so simply.

"He's better than Justice. Justice was a moron," Mathias said.

"Mathias!" Hermione scolded him, "Justice was nice to you."

"Only because he wanted to stay in your bed. He didn't really like me, mum. I could tell. Even if he did, I didn't like him. Professor Snape is much better. He's smart and has things to talk about that matter," Mathias said. "Justice never did. You used to look so bored when he talked to you. I saw it myself."

"All right, so he wasn't a great conversationalist, Mathias, but he kept me company," Hermione said, not believing she was talking to her eleven-year-old son about this.

"A kneazle could have kept you company, mum," he said a little snarkily.

Hermione frowned at him. She could see Severus' traits as plain as day in her son.

"Well, he was NICE," she said pointedly, "You can't say that about the Professor."

"No, he's not nice. But he's not fake either. He'd never pretend to like anything he didn't like…except maybe Voldemort, but that's how he stays alive so that doesn't count," Mathias said. "And besides, you liked him before and I bet he wasn't any nicer than he is now. He was probably worse."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at her son.

"Mathias Granger," she said, "Are you trying to fix me up with the Professor?"

"Well mum, you are here all by yourself now. You don't have anybody, and I don't like you being by yourself. It's not like you weren't with the Professor before, even if it were only once. Maybe if I hadn't been born, it would have been more than once," he said.

"I doubt that," Hermione snorted.

Mathias didn't know the conditions under which Hermione had sex with the Professor. He had no idea she herself only recently found out what occurred that night.

"You're my mother and he's my father. If you were with him, it wouldn't be bad at all," Mathias said. "You have a reason to be together. Me," Mathias said.

Hermione sighed and stood up.

"I'm going to clear the table," she said.

Mathias smirked. His mum was usually like a bulldog when it came to debates. The fact that she just abandoned the conversation meant that he'd won. But he was far from done with her about this. Then he remembered something else.

"Mum, I think I should take the Professor's last name," he said.

Hermione almost dropped the dishes she was carrying to the sink.

"What?" she said incredulously to her son. He wanted to change his name?

"Well, it's going to come out at school. I might as well just take his name…it will help with some of the teasing. Plus, people won't automatically know I'm a bastard."

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. A bastard? Who had been telling him he was a bastard?

"Where did you hear you were a bastard?" Hermione demanded.

Mathias wasn't about to tell her it was James who taught him that word.

"It doesn't matter mum. I looked it up and it applies to me. People look down on bastards just because their parents weren't married. It would be a lot easier for me later on if I had my father's last name," he said evenly.

There was that Slytherin coming out of him again. Mathias was thinking about his future and trying to protect himself from bigotry.

"All right, I'll talk to Severus about it, Mathias," she said as her son brought his dishes over to the sink.

"Thanks mum," the boy said, kissing her on the cheek, "I'm going to read my potions essays."

He left the kitchen.

Hermione watched her son walk through the kitchen door. How had she raised such a boy? The things he said…

Hermione plugged up the drain, added some dish soap, filled the sink and started washing dishes the muggle way. She needed to do something with her hands.

So Mathias thought she should like Severus because of what he'd done...because he offered up his life in exchange for theirs.

Mathias had no idea how sexually charged things were between his mother and the Potions Master, but obviously the boy would approve if something were to happen between them. He thought Severus would be good for her.

Hermione was certain the wizard would be good to her, at least for a night.

A bit of heat pulsed inside the witch.

"Gods," she groaned, scrubbing the dishes harder in an attempt to quell the heat she felt at the thought of sleeping with the wizard. Mathias' approval didn't help any.

This had been some morning.

* * *

About noon, Mathias walked out into the living room dressed in his Slytherin robes with Severus' gift tucked under his arm. Hermione, sitting on the couch and reading "Spells Weekly" looked up at him.

"Mum, I want to go back to Hogwarts," the wizard said.

Hermione's face fell a little.

"I thought since you were here, you might stay the weekend, Mathias," she said to him.

Mathias looked at his mother.

"No, I need to go back. I have to talk to the Professor," he said.

Mathias was sorry to disappoint his mum, but he had things to do. She'd get over it.

"All right, but I have to tell you something first," Hermione said, taking a deep breath. "The reason the Professor brought you here so quickly this weekend was because the knowledge that you are his son got out, and he wanted to tell you before you heard it from your schoolmates. Everyone at Hogwarts probably knows Severus is your father by now, Mathias."

Mathias scowled.

"How did they find out?" he asked his mother. He had been hoping for a little time before all the aggravation set in.

"I think it was because Voldemort accepted you. That information had to be passed through his ranks. Some of the Slytherin students' parents are deatheaters or DKV members. One of them probably told a student," Hermione said.

Hermione didn't tell him that Jasmine Malfoy was the one who spread the information. She didn't want any kind of altercation between them.

Mathias sighed.

"I have to face everyone sooner or later, mum. It's all right. I can handle it," he said. "Would you take me to Hogwarts?"

Hermione nodded, thinking her son was a very courageous little boy.

"Just let me get my cloak," she said, rising and walking to the closet. She took out her cloak put it on, then looked at her son.

"I hope you're wearing more than boxers and socks under that robe," she said to him, putting her hands on her hips. Mathias hated clothing and would probably walk around naked if she'd let him.

"I am, mum," Mathias said with irritation. "It's cold out there. I'd freeze my kno…I'd freeze."

Hermione cocked her head at Mathias. He was about to say he'd freeze his knobblies off. What were they teaching him in Slytherin? But then again, that sounded an awful lot like something Ron would say.

She kissed Mathias on the cheek and ruffled his hair.

"Come along, Mr. Granger," she teased opening the door.

"That's Mr. Snape, mum," Mathias corrected her.

Hermione looked down at her son, her chest tightening at his words. There was a change in Mathias all right, in his perception of himself. He had a father now and was going to let the world know it.

"All right, Mr. Snape. Let's go," she said with a small, wan smile.

They exited the house. Hermione warded the door, then took Mathias' hand.

They disapparated.

* * *

Hermione unwarded the gates of Hogwarts and watched Mathias make his way over the grounds towards the castle. She didn't attempt to escort him. He was growing up now, and she needed to give him some room. She watched him until he disappeared over a rise, then sighed and apparated back home, hoping he didn't have to go through too much of an ordeal.

Mathias entered the main door. It was lunchtime, so he went to the Great Hall. The moment he entered, the chatter in the hall fell silent. He walked up the aisle, the eyes of students and staff following him as he walked to the Slytherin table. His housemates were also quiet, watching him as he took a seat.

Severus was seated at the High Table, and watched as Mathias entered the hall and sat down. Outwardly, his son didn't act fazed by all the attention he was drawing. The boy sat down in front of a plate, and began to pull food towards him, filling it. Slowly voices began to be heard again, in low tones, almost everyone commenting that Mathias was Professor Snape's son.

At the staff table, several female staff members leaned forward and glared at Severus, who ignored the old biddies. Their approval or disapproval meant nothing to him. The only female staff member not in attendance was Poppy, who was on weekend leave, an assistant left in her place from St. Mungos.

At the end of the table, Albus was beaming however, delighted that Severus finally acknowledged his son and the boy knew the truth. The Potions Master had informed him this morning that he and Hermione had told Mathias the truth about his parentage, and the boy had reacted relatively well. The Headmaster wasn't surprised at this. With his mother's logic and his father's discipline, the child was unlikely to fly off the handle. More than likely he would ponder the situation, then accept it and use it to his benefit. He was a Slytherin after all.

Albus looked down at the young wizard, who was calmly eating when every eye in the Great Hall was on him, the same as his father…who was also calmly consuming his meal as if all were right as rain. Albus chuckled. They were very much alike.

Of course, Jasmine Malfoy was the first to approach Mathias. She sat down on his right side and stared at him until he turned to her, a frown on his face.

"Don't sit there staring at me, Jasmine. If you have something to say to me, say it," Mathias said, his black eyes glittering at the young witch.

"I was wondering what it's like to find out your father is Professor Snape," she asked him as the other Slytherins listened carefully.

Mathias eyes washed over all of them.

"Not too bad really. Having a father who is Head of House kind of gives me an advantage, don't you think?" he asked her, smirking a bit.

His housemates murmured agreement. Jasmine's blue eyes darkened.

"But…but you thought your father was dead. Aren't you angry? I'd be so furious I wouldn't even speak to him," Jasmine said, frowning.

Mathias looked at her.

"There were reasons for it, Jasmine. Good ones that I can't tell you. I'm not going to spend my time being angry with him. I am going to learn all I can from him instead. I want to be a Potions Master, and my father is the best. Since he's my father I'll be able to learn things from him the rest of the students won't. So I'll have a leg up when I graduate. I will probably do quite well in university," the boy said evenly, returning to his food.

Jasmine eyed him as the rest of the Slytherins nodded and returned to their meals, chatter starting up at the table again. Her father wouldn't be pleased that Mathias accepted the situation and actually thought it was advantageous. Draco wanted him bitter and angry, hating Professor Snape. But Mathias was too logical for that.

Jasmine left the seat, returning to her clutch of witches and they began cackling among themselves about Mathias and how dense he was. Her seat was soon filled by Andreas Mbutu, who pulled up some food and began to fill his plate. Mathias glanced at the silent wizard as he fixed his food.

"Hi Andreas," he said, biting into a piece of chicken.

Andreas looked at the wizard, his black eyes twinkling.

"Hello, Mathias Snape," he said, smiling, showing beautiful white teeth.

Mathias smirked at him and returned to eating. Andreas didn't seem to have a problem with his father being the Head of House. Suddenly, Mathias' thoughts turned to the day Andreas was in the common room when he and Jasmine were arguing, and how the boy had said it was good he liked Professor Snape. His brows furrowed.

"You knew Professor Snape was my father," Mathias said to the black wizard, his voice low.

Andreas bit into a tomato, then nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mathias asked him, frowning.

The wizard turned his black eyes on Mathias.

"It wasn't my place to tell you. He was supposed to tell you, and he did. It was better that way," the wizard said, eating a forkful of peas. Mathias looked down at the wizard's plate. It was filled with vegetables.

"You have no meat on your plate," Mathias said.

"I don't eat a lot of meat. Only sometimes," Andreas answered. "Flesh blocks the spirit. I cannot use the Old Arts well if I have too much meat in my system."

"Old Arts?" Mathias asked, interested.

"The magic of my people. My ancestors did not use wands. It was not part of our magic. Our magic is different," Andreas said, eating a mouthful of rice.

"So how can you use wand magic then?" Mathias asked, intrigued.

"Well, one of my ancestors was enslaved by a white pureblood wizard, and he found her attractive. She had seven children for him before he freed her to return home. He was married, you see, and his wife saw the children looked like him, became very angry and demanded my ancestor be sent away. Her husband complied. The children could do wand magic, and they returned to the homeland and married into the tribe. The magic stayed with us as has our original magic," Andreas explained.

"So you can do wandless magic?" Mathias asked the wizard, impressed.

"It is not wandless magic like you know, but yes…I can do some things without a wand," Andreas said, "You can too. Your eyes are black."

Mathias blinked at him.

"What's that got to do with it?" Mathias asked him.

"Black-eyed people are connected to the "Dark Soul of the World." They are his children and are very powerful…but have to struggle not to be evil once they discover their power. The Dark Soul likes dark things, but you can still use its power for good," the wizard said, biting into a piece of toast with jam. "If you want to."

Mathias had never heard anything about a "Dark Soul of the World." He figured it was a belief of Andreas' people.

"The Dark Lord was once black-eyed," Andreas said, "He is very evil and draws on and is ruled by that power, though he probably doesn't know. He is something else now."

Mathias looked at Andreas.

"How do you know that?" Mathias asked him, his eyebrows raised.

"My parents and my grandparents. They felt him long ago, his growing evil. There were many meetings about him, but it was decided that it was the white wizarding world's problem and we would not interfere unless his evil reached us. I don't agree. I think he should be stopped now before he comes into full power. But we have been commanded not to interfere. Only someone who knows the Old Arts and the Dark Soul has any hope of stopping him," Andreas said, looking at Mathias evenly.

Mathias stared at the wizard, and felt something compelling him to ask the wizard the next set of questions.

"You say I am connected to the Dark Soul?" the boy asked him.

Andreas nodded.

"Could I do the Old Arts?" Mathias inquired.

"Perhaps, if someone taught you," Andreas said, "It is not easy, but maybe possible."

Mathias thought about this.

"Could you teach me, Andreas?" he asked the black wizard.

It would be very cool if he could do wandless magic. Maybe he could help his father against Voldemort when he got older. Maybe he could become a spy too, and help destroy the despot.

Andreas' black eyes washed over Mathias.

"Maybe I could. But you couldn't tell anyone…not even your mother or father," he said in a low voice. "We would have to test you, to see if you are connected enough to draw on that power. You would have to drink a potion I make and walk the "Dark Path" of your soul to see how powerfully you are connected. It is very frightening, and you could come back fearful of everything," Andreas said, his eyes somber as he looked at the pale wizard.

Mathias was excited. He wasn't afraid to find out if he were connected to the "Dark Soul." As far as keeping it a secret, he wouldn't tell anyone even if it didn't have to be a secret. That kind of power would be even more powerful if no one knew he had it.

"Teach me, Andreas. I want that kind of power," Mathias said.

The dark wizard studied Mathias.

"The Old Arts are very powerful, Mathias. They are not for everyone," the boy said evenly. "But I think maybe, they are for you."

He looked at Mathias intently as if he were seeing inside him. He nodded.

"I will try to teach you, but not now. Later," the boy said, rising from the table. "See you, Mathias Snape."

Andreas left the Great Hall.

Suddenly, Jasmine was back and looking at him with distaste. Gods. What did the witch want now?

"Why do you talk to him? He's not like us," Jasmine said.

Mathias scowled at Jasmine.

"What do you mean, Jasmine? Andreas is a Slytherin, and a pureblood. Even I'm not a pureblood," Mathias said. "If anything, he shouldn't talk to me."

"He's…he's black," Jasmine said, looking at Mathias as if he were stupid not to see this.

"So? He's black. What's that got to do with anything?" he asked the witch.

"Well, we're white," she said, exasperated with the wizard.

"And?" Mathias asked her.

"We shouldn't associate with him. He's beneath us," Jasmine said vehemently. "Don't you see how hardly anyone talks to him? Only a few people will play chess with him, because he's good…but other than that, he's left alone. You shouldn't associate with him. His people come from the wild. From the jungle. He's probably a cannibal, pureblood or not."

Mathias looked at Jasmine.

"Get away from me, Jasmine. You say the stupidest things sometimes," he snarled at her.

"I'm telling you, Mathias. Associating with Andreas Mbutu is going to put you in the lower social strata," she warned.

"The lower what? I don't care about that, Jasmine! Get out of here!" Mathias said loudly. Everyone looked at them.

"You're going to stop talking to me like that, Mathias. I swear you are," Jasmine seethed at him.

"I wouldn't talk to you like that if you made sense," Mathias said. "You're an idiot, Jasmine. You say and believe the stupidest things."

The little witch turned red as a salamander.

"How dare you say that!" she yelled at him, her hands on her hips. "I have very acceptable views. DKV approved!"

The clutch of first-year witches heard Jasmine's angry voice, rose as one and started toward them. Mathias' black eyes shifted and saw the approaching hoard. He decided now would be a good time to retreat.

"Gotta go," he said quickly, rising from the table and heading for the double doors at a good clip.

The witches surrounded Jasmine and asked what was wrong. She told them what Mathias had said to her, and they all squawked with fury, angry he had escaped their wrath.

At the High Table, Severus shook his head and smirked.

Mathias certainly didn't mince words. The spoiled witch had her work cut out for her if she hoped to ever influence his son around to her way of thinking.

Severus finished his meal. Mathias came back early…and that could only mean one thing. The boy wanted to talk to him.

He'd make himself available.

* * *

Jasmine Malfoy stormed back to her private room, furious with Mathias. She couldn't seem to get the wizard to agree with anything she said, and he yelled at her almost every time she came near him. This wasn't working out at all.

Andreas Mbutu was sitting at a table in the common room studying when the witch walked in. He looked up and smirked when he adjusted his sight and saw she was surrounded by a boiling red aura, flecks of black and brown flashing in the cloud. She was pissed. Andreas could feel Mathias was the source of her anger. Surprise, surprise. The wizard went back to studying.

Jasmine didn't acknowledge the wizard but stalked straight up the stairs leading to the girl's dormitory and rushed into her room.

The witch opened her nightstand drawer, picked up her two-way mirror and contacted her grandmother. Draco added both Narcissa and Lucius to the mirror network at his daughter's insistence.

"Narcissa Malfoy," Jasmine said, pouting.

The mirror clouded up, then cleared, the cold, beautiful face of Narcissa Malfoy appearing in the glass.

"Jasmine, how good of you to call," she said smiling at her granddaughter.

Jasmine burst into tears.

Narcissa looked at her granddaughter, concern on her pale face.

"Oh, now kitten, what's wrong?" the witch asked her.

"Mathias Snape," Jasmine sobbed, "He's mean to me, grandmother. Father wants me to be his friend, but every time I try to talk to him, he yells at me and tells me I'm stupid. I don't know what to do!"

Narcissa's eyes narrowed.

"First, you are to stop crying. Never let a wizard make you cry, Jasmine, unless there is some advantage in turning on the tears, such as making him feel guilty. Now dry your eyes," she said sternly.

Jasmine gulped and fought back her tears.

"Good girl. Now, tell grandmother everything that happened each time he yelled at you."

Jasmine did as her grandmother asked, Narcissa looking thoughtful as she did so. When she finished, Narcissa smiled at her.

"You have to change your tactics with him, Jasmine. Obviously, the wizard already has strong opinions and beliefs that don't agree with yours. You have to stop trying to tell him what to do, Jasmine. I know that's hard, but that is the way you have to deal with him. Go along with him instead, or simply be quiet around him. You will have to be nice to that Mbutu boy too, since obviously he is Mathias' friend. Later on, you will be able to come between them, using your wiles. What you need to do now, is apologize to him…"

Jasmine's eyes widened.

"Apologize? But Grandmother…he was the one who…" she complained.

"You have to apologize to him so he'll think you've come around. Right now, he doesn't like you Jasmine. You have to admit what you've been saying to him is stupid, even though you know it's not. Make him believe you can change, then act like you are changing. And no more opinions, all right? Trust your grandmother. I've never met a wizard I couldn't manipulate. You are a Malfoy witch. You have a legacy to uphold young lady and a challenge ahead of you with this Mathias. Follow what I've told you to do and you will be successful in the long run, my dear."

"All right, grandmother. Thank you," Jasmine said, blowing her a kiss.

Narcissa smiled.

"You're welcome, angel. Call me again soon and let me know your progress," Narcissa replied, looking at her granddaughter fondly.

"I will grandmother. Bye," Jasmine said.

The mirror went dark.

Jasmine flopped into her bed.

"All right, Mathias Snape. I'm going to change my tactics for now…but one day I'll have the upper hand, and you're going to jump through hoops for me," she vowed. "A lot of hoops, I promise you."

* * *

Mathias waited by Severus' office. The Slytherins returned from the Great Hall to find him standing outside his father's door. They all smiled at him, every single student as they passed by. With Professor Snape being his father, everyone wanted to get on the little wizard's good side, each hoping that Mathias would use his influence for him or her benefit in the future. It was the Slytherin way, after all.

"Hey Mathias," Boyle said, rolling up to the wizard, Gerald and Charles in tow.

"What Boyle?" Mathias said with a bit of irritation. He wasn't crazy about the big, goofy wizard.

Boyle looked a bit put out. He cleared his throat.

"I just want to say I'm sorry for trying to beat your brains in, and I don't think you're a fruit or a weirdo at all," the wizard said, trying his best to sound sincere.

But Mathias wasn't buying it. He knew perfectly well that Boyle was trying to smooth things over because he knew that he was the Professor's son and thought there might be some repercussions in his future.

"Whatever Boyle," he replied dismissively.

The wizard gave him a broad smile, thinking Mathias had forgiven him.

"Thanks Mathias," he said, barreling off.

Gerald approached him next.

"How about a game of Snap later, Mathias?" he asked the pale wizard, who looked at him coolly. Neither he nor Charles had spoken to him for weeks.

"I don't think so, Gerald," he replied, "I've work to do."

Gerald looked disappointed.

"Maybe later," he said glumly and walked off, Charles in tow.

Presently Severus strode down the dungeon corridor. He saw Mathias waiting for him outside the office. He billowed up to the boy and looked down at him. Mathias met his gaze evenly, black eyes to black eyes.

"Waiting for me, Mr. Granger?" Severus asked as he pulled out his wand and unwarded his office door.

"Yes sir. But I'm Mr. Snape now," he said.

Severus spun and looked at him.

"Mr. Snape?" the wizard asked him incredulously, both eyebrows raised.

"Well, that's what I want to be called," the boy replied, turning a little red.

Severus stared at him a moment, then opened his office door, gesturing to Mathias to enter, which he did. The Professor closed the door behind them, warded it and placed a silencing spell over the office. He swooped behind his desk as Mathias sat in the uncomfortable, rickety chair in front of the wizard's desk. Severus kept the chair as uncomfortable as possible in order to cut meetings short.

Severus studied the boy for a moment.

"We are going to cut the formalities, Mathias, since this is obviously a personal matter we are discussing," Severus said, scowling slightly, "Now what is this about taking the surname "Snape?" I don't require that of you. As I said, we can continue as we always have. I don't expect anything from you. I haven't been a father to you for your entire life. I don't expect you to accept me as one now."

Mathias looked at him.

"Can I be honest, sir?" he asked his father.

"Always," Severus replied, smirking a bit at the boy's candor.

"There are benefits to being known as your son, sir. You are a respected Potions Master, and as your son…I can expect some of that respect too," Mathias said. "When I go to university, the Snape name will probably be of some use."

Severus arched an eyebrow at the Slytheriness of this statement.

"Plus, if I have your name, no one will immediately know I am a bastard, sir. Having my mother's last name lets everyone know she wasn't married when she had me. People look down on bastards, Professor. If I have your name, then it will be better for me," Mathias said.

Severus stared at the boy. He certainly was thinking about his future.

"Does your mother know about this?" he asked the boy.

"Yes. She said she was going to talk to you about it, but I thought it better if I did, since I am the one who wants my name changed," Mathias replied.

Severus nodded.

"You do understand, Mathias, taking my name could make you a target as well. I am not a popular teacher. Some of the other students may try to punish you to get back at me," the wizard said.

"I'm always on my guard anyway, Professor. I'm not worried about that," Mathias replied. "Anyway, the whole school knows I'm your son, so the name won't make a difference if they want to have a go at me, sir."

Severus leaned back in his swivel chair and drummed his fingertips on the desktop for several moments.

"Very well. I will go down to the Ministry on Monday, collect your mother, go to the Magical Bureau of Vital Statistics and have your birth certificate altered. Is that satisfactory, Mr. Gra…Snape?" he asked his son.

"Yes sir," Mathias said, beaming at him.

Severus felt a bit of warmth wash over him at the pleased look in the boy's eyes. He had made him happy. Severus rarely made anyone happy. It was a nice feeling, actually. He tried to shake it off.

"Is that all you wished to discuss with me, Mathias?" Severus asked him.

"No sir. I wanted to know something else," the boy asked, looking at him levelly.

"What is it?" Severus asked curiously. The gods only knew what would come out of this young wizard's mouth.

"What was it about my mum that attracted you to her? I mean, in class you always say how much she annoyed you. You seemed as if you didn't like her. But then, you…you…you did sex with her. I want to know why," Mathias said earnestly.

Good gods.

Severus took a deep breath. How was he going to approach this? He didn't want to tell the boy to mind his own business, well, actually he did…but he had a right to know the situation that led up to his conception.

"Mathias, you remember the talk we had about how wizards are attracted to witches by the mating instinct?" he asked the boy.

"Yes sir," Mathias said.

"Well, that instinct came into play when I was with your mother one night, and she confessed to me how attracted she was to me in her last year of Hogwarts. Such a confession will make any wizard look at a witch as a potential sexual partner. I knew she was attracted to me when she was a student, but since she was my student, I didn't pursue her," the wizard said.

Actually Severus just never got around to shagging Hermione in her seventh year, he was too busy with the Order. His darker nature would have enjoyed deflowering one of the golden trio. But alas, she graduated untouched by him. Still, Mathias didn't need to know how lecherous he really was.

"When we met, she was in university. Since it was obvious she was still attracted to me, I became attracted to her. Your mother was young and pretty, Mathias, and she was drawn to me. I don't attract many young witches based on who I am. So your mother was quite a special case. She wanted me and I wanted her, so we indulged ourselves," the wizard said.

Mathias noticed his father's face contort slightly.

"Something went wrong, didn't it, Professor?" Mathias asked him.

The Potions Master gave his son a startled look. The boy was too perceptive. He wondered if Mathias could handle the truth? After a moment's consideration, Severus decided to tell him. The boy was quite mature for his age.

"Yes it did, Mathias. Our interlude together was very pleasant. But the next morning, your mother didn't remember any of it, and was very upset to find herself in bed with me. She accused me of taking advantage of her, and said some very cruel things. Since she didn't remember what happened between us, I left her there. There wasn't anything I could do to calm her. What made it worse was it was her first time being with a wizard in such a manner. The first time for a witch is supposed to be special."

Mathias frowned at Severus.

"Why didn't she remember?" the little wizard asked.

Severus sighed.

"We were consuming alcohol. Drinking. Apparently she blacked out and had no recollection of either our conversation beforehand or being with me afterwards," the wizard explained. "I didn't know she wasn't lucid."

Mathias scowled.

"But mum doesn't drink," he said.

Severus looked at him.

"She doesn't drink now, probably because of what happened that night," the wizard responded.

Mathias processed this. Yes, that made sense. He looked at his father.

"Did she ever find out what really happened?" Mathias asked him.

Severus nodded.

"When you came to Hogwarts, we had a talk and I gave her my memories of it. She apologized to me," the wizard said. "She now knows that our interlude was consensual. That we both were willing."

Mathias was silent for a few moments.

"You must have been mad at her," he observed, looking at his father.

"Yes, I was. I felt mistreated," the wizard admitted, "and when she came to me with the news she was pregnant, I let all that anger out and drove her away. I couldn't accept you anyway, Mathias, for reasons I explained last night."

Mathias nodded.

"Professor, do you think if my mother had remembered and didn't act the way she did later, that you might have seen each other again?" Mathias asked him.

"I don't know, Mathias. It would have been very dangerous to do so. She is muggle-born and I was a deatheater. The Dark Lord did not allow relationships with muggle-borns," Severus said.

"Would you have liked to, if you weren't a deatheater?" the boy pressed.

Severus thought about how Hermione had responded to him that night. He had taken her virginity, the first and only wizard to have claimed her. She was affectionate and evidenced true emotion, not just lust. It was different for him, to have a witch who wanted him that way. A witch that let him be her first.

"Perhaps," Severus said quietly.

Mathias smiled. Severus looked at the boy sharply.

"Are you still attracted to my mum, Professor?" the boy asked. There was just a little too much innocence in his voice. "I mean, she knows what happened now, and apologized. Do you still like her like that?"

Severus scowled at him.

"That is a very personal question, Mathias. You've overstepped your bounds. If this were not an informal meeting, I'd take points from you for asking me such a question," the Potions Master said, his face black.

But Mathias just smiled at him. If the Professor weren't attracted to his mother, he would have said so. Mathias decided to tell the wizard how he felt.

"Professor, my mum is all by herself now. She doesn't have anybody and it's not good. She had Mr. Forall, but he was an idiot. He wasn't intelligent like she was, and I didn't like him," Mathias said earnestly.

"You are by yourself too, and intelligent so you would have things to talk to my mum about other than work and Quidditch. Plus you and mum have already been together. Maybe you could be her new boyfriend," the boy said, his black eyes boring into Severus' own black orbs. "You could keep each other company sometimes."

Great Merlin's knobby knees! Hermione's boyfriend?

"Mathias, I am not and I have never been any witch's "boyfriend!" Severus said, frowning at him.

"But you said that you might have seen her again if things were different. Well, things are different. We are accepted now. The Dark Lord won't punish you. You're still a deatheater but you can be around us now. You can be around mum," Mathias said.

Severus furrowed his eyebrows at the boy.

"You want me to be with your mother, after all I've done?" he asked the boy.

"You almost died for us and are trying to make things right. If you like each other still, it would be good if you were together. We'd be more like a family," Mathias said. "I'm not saying get married or anything…but just…just be together."

Severus stared at the boy. Mathias knew what sex was, so he had to know that his being with his mother would mean he'd "stick his penis" in her. Repeatedly. Not an unpleasant thought.

Gods, the boy was giving him the go ahead to shag his mum. Severus stared at him.

"Did you tell your mother how you felt?" he asked the young wizard, totally amazed by him.

"Yes, she knows how I feel," Mathias said.

"What did she say?" the Potions Master asked him curiously.

He could imagine the witch turning all kinds of colors.

Suddenly, the boy had a very cunning look on his face.

"I can show you the conversation," he said, a wicked little grin on his face, "You can use legilimency to see it."

Severus was very tempted.

"I don't mind," Mathias said.

The boy stood up and walked around Severus' desk, standing in front of him and closing his eyes.

Severus hesitated a moment, then decided "what the hell."

"Legilimens," he said, placing two fingers against Mathias' temple to strengthen the connection.

He searched about the boy's mind until he found his latest remembrances, and carefully focused only on his and his mother's conversation. The boy needed privacy after all. The wizard listened as Mathias debated with his mother, arguing on his behalf, his eyebrows rising when Hermione admitted to her son that she "liked him a little."

Hm.

Clearly Mathias had scored on the witch. She ended the conversation by clearing the table. Hermione never gave up on an argument unless she was bested. Severus pulled out of Mathias' mind. He looked at the boy.

"So that was the way of it, eh?" Severus asked him with a smirk.

"Yes sir," Mathias replied.

Severus looked at the small, pale replica of himself. What a wonder he was.

"Return to your seat, Mathias," he said.

Mathias did so, walking back around the desk, sitting down and looking at the wizard expectantly. What did he expect him to say?

"I will think about what you've said, Mathias. But that is no guarantee that I will become involved with your mother again," he said gruffly.

Mathias smiled at him. Severus found that a bit disconcerting.

"Is there anything else you wish to discuss?" he asked his son.

He hoped not. This topic was enough.

"Not right now, sir," Mathias replied, thinking about extra potions lessons and hanging out in his father's lab. If the Professor did become mum's boyfriend, then it would be much easier to move in on him later.

Severus removed the silencing charm and the ward on the door.

"You may go, Mr. Snape," Severus said, his eyes resting on his son, who rose.

"Thank you, sir," the boy said with a smile.

"Yes, yes. Go on now," Severus replied, gesturing toward the door.

Mathias gave him one more smile and exited the Potions office. The moment the door closed, Severus slumped in his chair. Mathias was something else. After a moment or two, the wizard straightened. It was Saturday, and he had tomorrow free.

His black eyes began to glitter.

Maybe he should pay a little visit to Hermione tonight and "discuss" Mathias' wishes.

The wizard grinned wickedly.

He had a feeling it would be quite a passionate discussion.

* * *

Harry sat on the couch next to Hermione, looking haggard as he told her how sorry he was for James' actions toward her son. Hermione looked at him sympathetically. Harry really didn't have a clue about how James felt, or what he was doing to Mathias. It had to have been quite a shock to the wizard.

"I always thought I was a good dad," Harry said, his hands draped between his knees and looking at the floor. "I thought I was there for James, but I wasn't. And I made him hate Mathias. I'm so sorry Hermione. I thought you were all wrong. But my son is a bully, just like you said."

Hermione rubbed Harry's shoulders comfortingly.

"But now you do know Harry and James is still young. You need to sit down with him and tell him how you feel about bullies, how it affected you when you found out your dad was like that. He'll understand it then. James loves you, Harry. He wouldn't purposely do anything to make you ashamed of him. Just go talk to him," the witch said, "He might surprise you."

Harry looked at her. A bit of hope filled his green eyes. He adjusted his glasses.

"You really think so, Hermione? That's what Ginny told me too," he said.

Hermione smiled at him.

"Yes, I think so, Harry. James is your son. He has a lot of good in him. You can bring it out, I'm sure," Hermione said.

Harry gave her a small smile.

"Thanks for being so understanding Hermione," he said to her, straightening.

"That's what friends are for, Harry. To understand when you need understanding," she replied. "Plus, I think James is the last thing on Mathias' mind right now."

Harry's brow furrowed.

"Why do you say that, Hermione?"

"Because, last night Severus told him he was his father," Hermione replied.

"What? He told him? How did he take it?" Harry asked, his eyes worried.

"Surprisingly well. He went straight Slytherin, Harry. It was almost frightening how calculatingly he began to weigh everything. He believes being Severus' son will be advantageous in the long run and wants to make sure he takes full advantage of that," Hermione replied, reddening as she thought about how her son wanted her to be with the Potions Master.

Harry blinked at her.

"That's some son you've raised, Hermione. He's amazing," Harry said.

"I know," Hermione said quietly.

The two sat there for several moments.

"I'd better get going," Harry said, "Ginny wants me to pick up a couple of things from the market for dinner."

The wizard stood up, as did Hermione. They hugged, then walked to the front door.

"I'm going to talk to James as soon as I get home," Harry said to Hermione.

"Good," she said, "Just be honest. It works," Hermione said, thinking about Mathias.

Harry grinned and pulled open the front door.

Severus was standing on the doorstep, his dark eyes resting on the wizard first, then shifting toward Hermione.

"What are you doing here?" Harry demanded, frowning at the Potions Master.

Severus looked at him with disdain.

"My business, Mr. Potter," the wizard purred, "Is with Miss Granger. It is none of your concern."

Harry scowled.

"I'm making it my concern," Harry seethed, stepping in front of Hermione.

"Are you challenging me, Mr. Potter?" Severus asked silkily, one eyebrow arching.

He hoped the wizard was. It would give Severus great pleasure to blast him into next week. He still thought Harry was a pompous, attention-seeking git.

Harry started to answer him, a fierce look on his face when Hermione sidled between them.

"It's all right Harry. It probably has to do with Mathias," she said, "You can go. I'll be fine."

Harry looked at Severus, who smirked at him.

"I don't trust you alone with him, Hermione. Gods only knows what he might try to do to you," the wizard said.

Hermione looked at Severus, and felt a little pulse as his dark eyes met hers.

"I've been alone with him before, Harry," she said. "I'll be fine."

"Yes, Mr. Potter. She has been alone with me before," Severus added, his meaning unmistakable.

Harry felt his gut clench. He really didn't want to leave Hermione alone with the wizard. He didn't like the look in his eyes. He was going to try something on the witch, Harry knew it.

"I want to stay, Hermione," Harry said stubbornly.

Severus looked at Hermione.

"Perhaps it would be better if I came back another time, Miss Granger," he purred at her. He started to turn.

"No!" Hermione exclaimed.

Both Harry and Severus looked at her, Harry stunned by the desperation in her voice. She wanted Snape here. She wanted to be alone with the snarky bastard. No, Hermione. No. Not again.

Hermione collected herself.

"I mean no, you traveled all this way to see me, Professor. Please come in," the witch said, stepping aside and pushing Harry aside.

The Auror glared at Severus as he swooped in.

"Thank you, Miss Granger," he said, brushing by Harry and walking into the living room.

Harry looked at Hermione, his green eyes searching her face.

"You're falling for him again, Hermione. After all he's done to you and Mathias, how could you?" he said accusingly.

"Harry, it's not like that," she said, trying to explain to the irate wizard.

She hated when Harry went into overprotective big brother mode. He acted like she was a child.

"I can see it, Hermione. I heard it in your voice. You're going to let him get at you again. How can you be so stupid?" Harry asked her. "He's a no-good, child-abandoning bastard, and you're going to let him into your bed."

Hermione scowled at him.

"That's enough Harry. You can go now," she said, crossing her arms.

Harry stood there.

"You're making a big mistake, Hermione," Harry said, glancing toward the living room.

"If I do make a mistake, Harry Potter, it's mine to make…not yours," she replied. "Now go. I have to talk to Severus."

"Talk? Is that what they're calling shagging now?" he said nastily.

Hermione had enough. She pushed Harry out the door and slammed it behind him, pulling out her wand and warding it.

Harry rattled the doorknob.

"Hermione! Hermione!" he called, banging on the door. There was no answer.

"Damn it," he said under his breath, "Damn it, Hermione."

Well, there was nothing for it then. Obviously, the witch was going to do what she wanted. All he could do was be there to pick up the pieces once she was broken…again.

Harry glanced at the warded front door once more, sighed then disapparated.

Hermione was on her own.

* * *

Hermione walked toward the living room as Harry pounded on the front door, calling her name desperately. One would think she was walking into the open jaws of a dragon, the way he was reacting.

The witch entered the living room. Severus was sitting in the armchair, stroking his chin with his pale hand, his dark eyes resting on her thoughtfully. She was barefoot, dressed in her signature muggle jeans and a white t-shirt that clung to her curves. He could make out her comfortable cotton bra beneath. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. The Potions Master leaned forward in the chair.

"It seems Mr. Potter was reluctant to leave you alone with me, Hermione," he said to the witch.

"That's Harry. Sometimes he thinks he's my father," she said, sitting down on the sofa, "Now why are you here?"

"Because of our son," he said, his black eyes glittering. "He seems to think you need a 'boyfriend.'"

Hermione's eyes widened.

"He what?" she gasped at the wizard, who smirked.

"He seems to think you are in need of companionship, Hermione. He would like me to be your companion," Severus said.

Hermione let her head drop into her hand.

"I don't believe that boy," Hermione said. "He's just…just unbelievable."

"I happen to think he is quite perceptive, witch," the Potions Master purred. "The boy is right. You need a flesh and blood wizard to meet your needs. Not a memory in a pensieve."

Hermione looked up at the wizard. The look in his eyes was hot and unmistakable.

"So, I understand you "like me a little," Severus said, rising from the armchair and walking toward her. "A little can go a long way."

Hermione skittered from the sofa.

"Now wait…wait, you took that entirely out of context, Severus," Hermione said, moving behind the sofa and placing it between herself and the wizard, who was removing his cloak.

"I don't think I did, Hermione," he purred, placing his cloak on the couch and slowly walking around it. Hermione moved to the other side of the couch."

"Stop running," Severus hissed, "It's time, Hermione. Time to experience me in real life. You know you want to."

Severus came from around the couch and Hermione darted back behind it. Severus paused, then began to unbutton his robes.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, half terrified, half mesmerized as the wizard's hands deftly flew down the front of his robes.

"Obviously, you want me to chase you, witch. My robes will get in the way," he replied, shrugging off his robes and placing them on the couch as well.

He was attired in a white dress shirt, a black belt with a Slytherin buckle and black pants. He toed off his boots and stood in his black socks.

"I'll give you a sporting chance," he purred, "I'll count to ten and give you a head start. You can hide if you want, but I guarantee I will find you. And when I find you…."

Hermione felt as if her heart would fly out of her chest at the hungry way the Professor was looking at her

"…I'm going to take you to the closest bedroom," he finished.

Hermione hesitated, then pulled out her wand.

"I'll hex you, Severus…I promise you I will," she declared, the wand trembling in her hand as she pointed it at the wizard.

The Potions Master looked at the quivering wand tip and actually smiled. It was a little, unpleasant smile however.

"A nervous Spells Mistress?" he purred. "Do you think you can actually hit me the way your hand is shaking, Hermione? I'll probably be able to dodge whatever you throw at me."

"Don't test me, Severus," Hermione warned him.

The Potions Master started forward again.

"Test you? Oh no, Hermione I don't intend on testing you. I'm going to give you the full examination," he said silkily.

Hermione backed up still pointing the wand at him.

Watching the witch warily, Severus approached her. Instead of going around the couch, he started climbing over it, taking the most direct route.

"If you're going to hex me, witch, you'd better do it now," he said, preparing himself.

Hermione suddenly thrust the wand at him.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried as Severus darted aside and leapt over the couch, the spell missing him. He grabbed Hermione by both wrists and shook her.

"You little vixen," he hissed.

Then he tore her wand out of her hand and released her, tucking her wand into his pocket.

He looked at her, eyes glittering as her breasts rose and fell with emotion. Hell, he wanted to chase her.

"I like the idea of pursuing you, Hermione," he breathed at her. "I'll make you an offer. I will let you hide. If you can elude me for ten minutes, I will leave you untouched and go. But if I find you, witch…you will submit."

"What if I don't agree to hide?" Hermione asked him, quivering at his proximity.

"Then I pick you up bodily, carry you to your bedroom and arbitrarily have my way with you," he replied.

"That's rape, Severus," Hermione said, feeling heat rushing through her.

The Potions Master stared at her for a moment, then traced her cheek with one pale finger. Hermione's eyes half-closed at the contact.

"It won't be rape and you know it, Hermione," he said to her, withdrawing his finger. "You want me. You're just not sure you want me tonight. You can't make up your mind witch. I have to do it for you. But I am a fair wizard when I want to be. I'm giving you a chance to escape me…for tonight. It's up to you whether or not to accept my kindness."

Hermione looked at him, then suddenly bolted from the room.

Severus swiftly pulled out his wand and placed his own ward on the front door. There was still the back door, but he really wasn't concerned about her leaving the house. It was cold outside and she would have to dress. He doubted she would do that. This foreplay was quite delicious and he was sure the witch was turned on by the thought of him finding her, despite her pitiful protests.

Severus looked down at his tented trousers. One thing was for certain. He was definitely aroused by the idea of finding the witch. And he would find her.

The Potions Master waited about three minutes for the witch to settle in wherever she was hiding.

Then he started the hunt.

* * *

A/N: And that's the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 4." More to come. Is it me or is it getting a little hot in here? Lol. 


	5. Daddy Dearest Part 5

Daddy Dearest Part 5

Severus immediately shifted into Spy mode, moving through the three-bedroom, two-bath house silently as he sought out Hermione. The wizard sniffed the air delicately, his large nostrils pulsating as he picked up the slight scent of her jasmine shampoo. The wizard smirked and stealthily moved down the hallway towards the bedrooms. He paused in front of the bathroom, then stepped inside, looking behind the door, then yanking the shower curtain aside. He paused by the sink, looking at the vanity with narrowed eyes. Hermione might be small enough to fit under there if she folded up tight. He leaned down and pulled open the cabinet.

Nothing.

Severus exited the bathroom, closing the door and warding it with his wand so Hermione wouldn't sneak in there while he was checking other rooms. He crept into the first bedroom. This was obviously a guest room. Quietly he lowered himself and looked under the bed. Hermione wasn't there. He then opened the closet, looking up at the upper shelves as well. No witch. He exited the bedroom and warded it also.

Next he entered Mathias' room, a bit taken aback at how spartan it was for a young wizard's room. It was painted white and spotless, containing a neatly made bed, desk, chair, lamp, bookshelf and dresser. There was nothing on the walls and nothing on the wood floor. Severus was amazed because his bedroom was much the same, furnished without bells and whistles.

The wizard looked under the bed, and in the closet. Still no witch. One more bedroom was left. Hermione's. Severus walked into her bedroom. She had a huge king-sized four-poster bed. The Potions Master looked at it with approval. It would do nicely. He looked under it, pulling the covers high so he could see through. No. No witch. He frowned and looked at his watch. More than five minutes had gone by. He then checked her walk-in closet, moving every piece of clothing aside, and checking the upper area. Still no witch.

Scowling now, he checked the bathroom, opening the cabinets, linen closet, vanity and shower. He silently cursed. The witch had run back this way…where the hell was she? He exited Hermione's bedroom, scowling blackly. He had to find the witch. He slowly walked back up the hallway. Hermione kept her house spotless. Not a speck of dust anywhere…

Suddenly the Potions Master stopped, his black eyes resting on the floor. A small sprinkling of dust lay there forming a rather scattered perpendicular angle. He studied it for a moment, then looked up. There was a small square indentation above him, framed by molding. The way into the attic.

The wizard smiled slowly.

* * *

Hermione was on her hands and knees in the dark, staring at the closed attic entryway. A dropdown ladder was attached to the door. The witch could see light around the seams, and watched the Potions Master's shadow pass underneath her hiding spot, holding her breath each time he did so. The way to open the attic door was a blank switch panel on the wall. You just had to press it. But it was rather mugglish and the Professor might not know how to do this. 

Hermione held the face of her watch to the crack and read it by the dim glow. There was only two minutes left until this game would be over. If Severus didn't find her she might not have to do this tonight. Hermione met that thought with mixed emotions. She found herself very excited at the prospect of him finding her. Excited and somewhat frightened. She watched as his shadow stopped underneath the attic door. Her heart began to pound when he didn't move. Gods, did he know she was up here? How could he know? Nervously, she leaned forward, trying to put her eye to the gap and see what he was doing. Her hand pressed the door accidentally.

The Professor stared up at the attic door, and a bit of fine dust floated down. He watched it drift slowly to the floor resting on top of the dust already there.

Confirmation.

Severus looked upward, a wicked grin on his face.

"Hermione, come out, come out. It's time to play, my little Gryffindor," he purred up at the ceiling.

He heard a sudden thump and scuffling fading away into the distance. It seemed the attic ran the entire length of the house and Hermione had just ran toward the living room area. Severus looked around. There didn't seem to be any way into the attic. How had she gotten up there? No matter.

Severus whipped out his wand. He didn't tell the witch he wouldn't use magic after all. He pointed the wand at the ceiling.

"Alohamora," he hissed.

The door dropped open and a ladder came down.

The wizard began to climb.

* * *

Hermione heard Severus tauntingly call her name and realized he had discovered her hiding place. She panicked, and ran toward the far end of the attic. There were all kinds of boxes there. She could hide behind one of them until the time ran out. There was only a minute left. She slipped behind the farthest box she could, crouching, almost curling into a ball. She heard the ladder drop and the Potions Master climbing up. Then there was silence. 

Hermione tried to still her heart. It was pounding so loudly he had to hear it.

"I've found you. Come out!" Severus called, holding up his lit wand and looking at his watch. Damn it, he only had forty-five seconds left. "Come out, Hermione and take it like a witch."

But Hermione didn't move. If he didn't have his hands on her in the next forty seconds, she'd win.

Severus scowled as he held up his wand and saw all the boxes. There was no way he could sort through all of them in time. The witch thought she had won.

Severus grinned evilly. She hadn't won. He pointed his wand at the boxes.

"Accio Hermione Granger," the wizard said.

Suddenly there was a shriek and the sound of boxes being shoved out of the way. There was another sustained scream growing louder as Hermione flew through the air and into the Potions Master's extended arms. He grinned as he clutched the struggling witch against him.

"Gotcha," he said silkily as Hermione squirmed.

"You cheated!" she cried, "You used magic!"

Severus wrestled her around until he had her in his arms in a carrying position.

"I never said I wouldn't use magic," he breathed, walking to the attic door with her. He stopped, looking at the ladder. She was going to have to climb down.

"I caught you fair and square, witch. Down the ladder with you," he said, setting her on the floor.

Scowling at the wizard, Hermione climbed down the ladder. Severus quickly followed her, but she bolted again when she hit the floor. This time Severus took off after her, his eyes as predatory as any hunter chasing prey.

"Now who's cheating?" he called after the fleeing witch.

Hermione ran into the living room again, running around the sofa, trying to put it between her and Severus. She shrieked as the wizard tore into the room behind her and cleared the couch with a leap. He snatched at the witch but she darted for the armchairs this time…she almost made it, but Severus zipped forward and caught her by her hair. Her legs almost ran out from under her as he held her locks securely.

"Ow!" Hermione cried, then cursed at him.

Severus arched an eyebrow at her.

"Such language," he said, making a tsking sound of disapproval. He yanked her back into his arms. The witch continued to struggle as Severus turned her to face him, pulling her close against his body.

"You little hellcat," he said to her, totally enjoying her trying to fight him. "This will calm you."

The wizard pressed his lips to Hermione's mouth. The moment he did, Hermione stiffened, then slowly melted as the Potions Master kissed her. It wasn't even a complete, overpowering kiss. He didn't ravage her mouth, he simply moved his lips against hers, gently caressing and suckling them, his dark eyes half-lidded as the witch ceased struggling and molded her curves against his body, trembling with urgency. He pulled away from her mouth and looked at her face. Her eyes were heated and half-opened looking up at him.

"Music isn't the only thing that calms the savage breast," he said softly, a smirk on his face.

Hermione didn't respond, but continued to press against him. She couldn't speak, not feeling his body against hers like this. Every nerving ending was screaming for more contact. Instinctively, she slid her body up and down, her belly rubbing against the Potions Master's growing erection. The witch let out a moan as she felt him throbbing against her.

"You're ready to stop running now, Hermione?" Severus asked her, pressing into the witch, loving the feel of her body so wantonly working against him. "Are you ready to accept me…me and not a shadow of me? The real man and not an eleven-year-old memory? Tell me, witch. Tell me, now."

He pulled Hermione back from his body with some difficulty, the witch groaning a protest while pushing parts of her body forward to continue the contact. Severus pulled his hips back. His erection was enormous.

Hermione looked up at him almost drunkenly, intoxicated by her desire. Severus studied her face, his dark eyes drinking in her obvious need.

"If you had looked like this eleven years ago, Hermione, I might have known not all was right with you. But in this case, it isn't alcohol, is it witch?"

"No, it's you," she breathed up at the wizard. "All you."

"That's all I needed to hear," he growled, sweeping Hermione up into his arms and striding towards her bedroom.

"It's time to get real, witch," he breathed down at her, "I'm going to make sure you remember me this time."

* * *

Severus carried Hermione into her bedroom, stood her up, then turned and closed the bedroom door, warding it securely in case she made another break for it. He doubted the witch would in her condition, and as much as he'd enjoy a naked sprint through her house, it was time to get down to business. This had been a long time coming. He needed closure for that morning eleven years ago. This time the witch would not be cursing him for touching her. 

Severus spun on Hermione, who was looking at him rather wide-eyed, the lack of contact allowing her to regain some of her senses. She looked up at him and swallowed as he approached her, stopping inches from her body. The wizard's jaw clenched as his eyes drifted over her. He kept his hands at his sides.

"Undress me," he said to Hermione, whose eyes widened.

"What?" Hermione said, frowning slightly.

"Undress me, witch. Take my clothes off," he breathed down at her. "I want to watch you unveil the body you've been shagging vicariously for the past several weeks. Humor me."

Hermione looked at the wizard's white shirt and the belt. She had never undressed a wizard before. Justice would tear out of his clothes in an instant whenever they were going to have sex.

"Is there something wrong with your hands, witch?" Severus inquired, his eyes going a bit hard.

"No…no," Hermione said, lifting her hands then hesitating.

"You start with either the belt buckle or the top button," Severus offered helpfully.

Hermione reached up and undid the top button of Severus' shirt, then the second, then the third, staring at the pale skin underneath as it was revealed by the parting fabric. He had a well-defined chest…and was a little heavier than he was eleven years ago, but still lean, his musculature tight. The wizard was forty-nine but had a ways to go before middle age set in. He was strongly built. Hermione unconsciously licked her lips as she pulled his shirt out of his trousers and finished unbuttoning it, pulling it apart and staring at his ribbed abdomen and the line of dark hair beneath his navel. She froze.

Severus watched her with hooded eyes as she undressed him. She was quite taken by his upper body. Wait until she got to the good part.

"My cuffs," he said, lifting one hand and watching as she undid first one then the other. She stopped and looked at him. He frowned at her.

"My shirt isn't going to remove itself, witch," he said with a slight sneer.

Hermione felt a pulse of wetness roll between her thighs.

"Sorry," she said quietly.

"That's one thing you're not going to be, I assure you, Hermione," Severus said silkily as Hermione reached up and pulled his shirt off his shoulders, and down his back, the wizard helpfully withdrawing each sinewy arm from the sleeves.

Hermione stood there, holding his shirt and staring at the body she knew so well through the pensieve. The body that gave her so much pleasure along with such sweet pain. A bubble of heat was swelling in her lower belly as she stared at his alabaster skin. There were several small scars that were not there in the pensieve. The Professor's body looked as if it were sculpted from living marble, a beautiful male Galatea come to life.

Without thinking, Hermione placed her small hand against the center of his chest and slowly drew her palm down his warm, pale flesh, over the ripples of his belly, stopping just above his belt. She couldn't help touching him, and looked hypnotized as she stared at his torso.

"Put the shirt down, witch," the Potions Master breathed, highly aroused by that simple contact and the look in the witch's eyes, "There's more to unveil. Much more."

Severus was working on keeping control. His body was screaming at him to just divesto his and her clothing and get the witch in the bed. But mentally, he needed this from her, this visual display of desire as she disrobed him. Eleven years ago he had been moved by her need for him, the way she had touched him and told him he was beautiful. No witch had ever told him that. She didn't say it this time, but he could see she felt it, and it moved him just as strongly now as it did then.

Instead of placing his shirt on the chair, Hermione just let it fall to the floor, unwilling to move away from the wizard. Severus arched an eyebrow at his good shirt being dropped so unceremoniously, but considering the situation let it go.

Hermione's eyes now rested on his silver belt buckle, the crest of Slytherin, its serpent coiled, mouth open as if to strike. Her amber eyes shifted up to meet the Potions Master's own. He stared at her intensely as if willing her hands to move. And they did move, the wizard exhaling as she fumbled with the buckle before unclasping it, drawing the leather strap through the loops and dropping it to the floor on top of his shirt. She hesitated, the huge bulge in his trousers bringing her up short for a moment. Another serpent waiting to strike.

"Open my trousers," Severus hissed at her, catching her hands and moving them to the button.

Hermione drew in a shuddering breath, then opened the button and lowered the zipper. She stopped again.

"Go on, witch," Severus urged, pushing his hips forward a bit, "Take them off."

Hermione caught hold of the fabric and knelt, pulling them down, revealing black silk boxers that immediately ballooned, the wizard freed from the confines of his trousers. Hermione pulled them down to the floor, and Severus caught his breath at the sight of the witch kneeling before him. He stepped out of one leg then the other, and Hermione pushed the trousers aside, against the other discarded articles of clothing. She started to rise.

"My socks. I prefer to fuck barefooted," Severus said in a low voice.

He saw the witch shudder. So she liked dirty language. He'd keep that in mind. The wizard felt her small hand jerk at first one sock, removing it, then the other, adding them to the pile…then she straightened and looked at him.

"I've done it," she said softly.

Severus arched an eyebrow at her.

"I still have on my boxers, Hermione. You haven't completely undressed me," he replied. "Remove them."

Hermione felt little beads of sweat prickle below her hairline, and she noticeably began to tremble now. She didn't think she could do this, as much as she wanted the wizard. It would make it too, too real.

"I can't," she said, not meeting his eyes.

Severus scowled at her.

"Come now, Hermione. I'm sure you've undressed Mr. Forall. I am a man like he is…with some slight differences I imagine," the wizard said evenly.

The idea of Hermione undressing the Auror made him feel a bit competitive.

"No. I never undressed him…or any wizard, besides Mathias," the witch replied. "This is my first time taking off a man's clothing."

Severus stared at her for a long moment. Then his pale hand came up and caressed her cheek. He wondered what else she had never done with a wizard. He had assumed she had gained more experience over the years…she was with the Auror after all.

"How many lovers have you had since me, Hermione?" the wizard asked her.

"One," she replied. "Justice. And it felt as if he was my first."

Severus looked at her.

"He wasn't," the Potions Master said, a bit of a growl in his voice, "I was."

Then, "What else have you never done, witch?"

He found it hard to believe that Hermione had never undressed a man. Was there no times with Justice when passion took over and she felt compelled to tear his clothes from his body? Severus began to suspect Justice Forall did not fulfill his duties as Hermione's lover.

Hermione flushed, and didn't answer him. Severus suddenly gripped her by both arms and shook her, his face dark.

"You need to tell me, Hermione, so I know how to handle you," he said to her, his voice raw from desire, which had increased greatly at the thought there were things no one had ever done with or to the witch.

Hermione blinked up at him, but still couldn't say anything.

"Have you done oral sex? Anal sex?" the wizard asked her.

Hermione reddened.

"No," she whispered.

Severus' member bounced, and Hermione gasped drawing back from him a bit.

"Did Justice give you oral sex?" Severus demanded to know.

"No, I don't like it," the witch said.

Severus arched an eyebrow at her.

"You don't like it? Just how much did you enter that pensieve, Hermione?" he asked her, one eyebrow arched, "I distinctly remember you enjoying me lapping at your core."

Hermione turned a deep, deep red at the remembrance.

"Your Auror must not have known what he was doing," Severus said, his eyes glittering, "but don't worry witch. If marks were given for oral sex, I'd have an "Outstanding."

Hermione turned an even deeper shade of red, her head looking like a beet. Severus couldn't help chuckling. He pulled the witch against him. Hermione's head rested against his chest and she could hear his strong heart beating even as she creamed herself.

"I think tonight will be a night of at least two 'firsts' for you witch. I happen to love oral sex. I'm going to have to teach you," he breathed, pulsing against her belly powerfully. He felt the witch stiffen.

"My poor little repressed Gryffindor," he teased. "What a pleasure it's going to be taking you around the world tonight."

He stepped back from the witch, releasing her.

"Now, about my boxers…" he said, thrusting his hips forward.

Hermione looked at the Potions Master's pale body, her eyes drifting over his swollen boxers.

The witch took a deep breath, inserted her hands into the elastic waistband, closed her eyes and drew them down, feeling the wizard step out of them. She stood back up quickly, and opened her eyes, focusing on the center of his chest, which started to rumble with laughter.

"My gods, Hermione," the wizard said, "You shag me night after night in that pensieve and you're afraid to even look at me?"

"I'm not afraid," Hermione said in a small voice. "It's just…just…"

"Too real for you, witch?" Severus asked her in a low voice, no longer laughing. "In that pensieve, you know what's going to happen and how it's going to happen. That gives you a comfort zone. But there should never be a comfort zone when it comes to sex, Hermione…never a 'safe' place. Never a sense of 'routine.'"

He took her hand and brought it to his erection.

"Touch me," he said softly.

Hermione looked up at him. His eyes weren't harsh, although heated. There was almost a pleading look in them. Almost, but not quite.

"Trust me, Hermione," he said, and he felt the witch's warm hand wrap around his shaft. Hermione felt a thrill run through her body as the weight, hardness and heat of him rested again her palm. She looked down.

She knew he was big, but gods, his organ was huge. She couldn't close her hand around his girth. It looked as if he was a foot long. She was sure he couldn't possibly be that big, it just seemed like it. The skin over his rigid shaft was soft, and moved when she shifted her hand slightly. Severus groaned at the small motion, biting his lip.

"More," he hissed. "Move your hand more, Hermione."

The witch slid her hand up and down the full length of him, and the wizard groaned louder, his eyes going half-lidded as the witch caressed him. He shuddered, and Hermione felt a sense of power, a sense of control. She continued to caress him, the knot in her belly growing tighter and her own breath quickening as the wizard responded to her caresses. She looked up at him. Severus' eyes were closed and his face slightly contorted as the witch worked her hand back and forth.

"Tighter," he breathed, his eyes snapping open, looking at her hungrily.

Hermione tightened her grip and he let out a growl.

"You see how good your hand makes me feel, witch?" he hissed at her.

"Yes," she responded.

"Your warm mouth would make me feel even more pleasure," he groaned "You want to give me pleasure, don't you?"

Hermione looked at the dark wizard, meeting his eyes, then looked down at his member, thick, pale, hard and heavy, the head a purpling mushroom. It was enormous. She knew she could take it inside her body, because he'd done it before, but her mouth? He'd choke her to death. But she did want to give the wizard pleasure, and wanted him to find pleasure in her. Hermione didn't want him to think she was repressed, although she was. Why she was willing to do this for Severus, when she wasn't for Justice, she couldn't say. But the idea of it made her insides clench.

"Yes," the witch said, feeling the wizard shudder again, But I…I…couldn't take all of you into my mouth. You're too big."

"You don't have to take all of me in," Severus said, pulling himself out of her hand and gripping her shoulders, walking her back toward the bed.

The witch was still fully dressed. It didn't seem to matter to him at this moment. Hermione felt the bed hit the back of her legs and she automatically sat down, the wizard standing before her, his erection face level. Severus stroked her hair gently as he talked to her.

"You don't have to take all of me," he repeated, his voice thick, "You can use your hands to caress the rest of me. It will feel good to me, witch. Exquisite. Especially because it's you, Hermione."

Severus wanted the witch to blow him badly. The idea he was the first wizard she'd ever done this to turned him on immensely.

"Go on, witch," he breathed, pushing his hips forward, pressing against her lips, his hand wrapping in her hair.

Another thrill went through Hermione this time, but it felt different…darker, hungrier as the wizard's hand coiled in her hair and his organ pressed against her lips. Severus was in control now. She couldn't get away from him if she wanted to…and that excited her. In her seventh year, part of her attraction to him was his dominating nature in the classroom. She would cream herself even then, when he ordered her to perform some demonstration or brew a certain potion. Now he was doing it sexually, and she felt as if she would melt into a puddle of need.

She opened her mouth and felt him thrust inside it.

"Damn," the wizard breathed as her moist mouth slipped over him. "Yes, witch. Yes. Now suck me, gently. Gently."

Hermione did, tasting his hard flesh. He tasted clean, but there was a distinctly male muskiness as he thrust in and out of her mouth, his hand guiding her back and forth over his length. Gods, he was so big, her mouth was open as wide as it would go. Soon her jaw would be aching. But it turned her on as the wizard hissed and groaned his pleasure, his eyes locked on the witch.

Severus watched Hermione take him in, her lips dragging over his shaft, her mouth full of him. Gods, she looked so good…and so, so bad. Her mouth was soft, sweet and wet as she sucked him.

"Use your hands, caress me," he instructed, sounding breathless as pleasure coursed through him.

Hermione obeyed, bringing both hands up, encircling his girth and working back and forth in counterpoint to his thrusts.

"Yesssssssss," he hissed. Gods, the witch was a natural. The wizard found himself thinking that after practicing a few times, she would be phenomenal. But that would mean more than one interlude with her. He wasn't sure if this were something they would continue. But he was willing to live in the moment for now.

Hermione began to work her jaw, which started to ache. Severus saw her distress and stopped, withdrawing.

"That was very good for a first time witch…but I take some getting used to," he breathed at her, pulling her to her feet. Hermione looked a bit unfocused. He kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, tasting himself and her heat. It made him think of the other heat awaiting him, and he growled against her lips.

He broke the kiss, the witch swaying towards him. He stared at her a moment, then walked over to his clothing and extricated his wand. He pointed it at her.

"Divesto," he breathed, and Hermione's clothing disappeared.

Hermione was so hot and so turned on she made no attempt to cover herself, her amber eyes resting on the wizard hungrily. She was ready for him now…ready for anything he wanted to do to her, the knot in her belly so tight she felt she could hardly draw breath.

Severus eyes drifted over the witch's body. She had very full breasts, tipped by dark areolas, her nipples puckered by desire. His eyes drifted over her belly, which was still flat to her trimmed chestnut bush. He noted her hips were more rounded, fuller, a gift left from childbearing. Severus didn't mind that…he liked full hips and thick thighs on a witch…"strong female attributes".

Hermione had both. She was small, but she was all woman.

Severus slowly walked toward her, his wand in his hand. He looked into her eyes as he pressed the tip of the wand beneath her belly button and whispered a contraceptive spell. Then his wand clattered to the floor as he pulled her soft body against him.

"Now it's time to make new memories, Hermione…memories that you will never forget," he breathed, lifting her in his arms and carrying her to the bed.

The wizard laid Hermione down gently on top of the bedding and looked down at her, his eyes once again drifting over her body. The scent of her arousal wafted up to him, making his mouth water.

"After tonight witch, you'll throw away that pensieve," he said, walking down to the end of the bed and climbing in slowly.

His black eyes were focused on her thighs.

"First, let me remind you how much you do like oral sex," he said, smirking at the wide-eyed witch as he inched his way towards her purposefully.

He pushed her legs apart and stared at her core, licking his lips in anticipation. Hermione lifted her head slightly, looking at the wizard. Severus' eyes flashed hotly at her.

"Open up and say...ooh, witch."

* * *

Severus slowly moved toward the witch, his eyes focused on her core. Hermione tensed as he moved his body between her legs, but instead of going directly to the target, Severus pulled himself over the witch, his waist nestled between her thighs and looked down at her. Hermione stared up at the Potions Master, feeling as if she would ignite as the weight of his naked body rested against her own, pale, strong and virile. 

The wizard lowered himself and possessed Hermione's mouth hungrily, feeling her arms encircle his neck as he slid his tongue about her mouth, listening to her moans. He lapped and sucked at her tongue, moving against her sensuously as he did so. The witch pressed her hips upward insistently, her amber eyes heated and wanton. For a moment the Potions Master was tempted to forego the oral sex and slide himself deep inside her undulating body.

Severus pulled away from her mouth and stared down at her. She was trying to pull him back down to her mouth, her body writhing under him deliciously.

"You want me to take you now, don't you Hermione?" he asked her in a low voice.

"Yes, Severus…yes," the witch replied, her face contorting with need as the ache between her legs increased.

Severus couldn't help the swell he felt in his chest at the witch's passionate response. If she had said the actual words 'fuck me,' he would have…he wouldn't have been able to hold back. After eleven years and raising a child on her own, Hermione still held a torch for him. The wizard knew he wasn't worthy, not the way he had treated her and their son, but since she was willing to give herself to him again, he would make sure that he brought her as much pleasure as he was capable of. It wouldn't undo the pain he'd caused her, but for this moment, it might serve as a balm for it.

"Not yet, witch," he breathed and slid downward, pressing his lips against her throat, and sliding his mouth, down over her breasts, licking and suckling, the witch rising and falling beneath him, a tide of pure desire, crying out softly as his warm mouth latched on to one breast, his large pale hand grasping the other, fondling and caressing, alternating from one to the other, his tongue tapping and tracing her nipples.

The knot in her belly tightened and Hermione arched upward strongly, surprising the wizard as she suddenly grew hot and climaxed with a shriek, her body shuddering beneath him.

He stared at the witch as she moaned in pleasure, her eyes tightly closed, her lower lip trapped between her teeth. She was beautiful.

"My gods, woman. I haven't begun to take you," he breathed down at her, feeling her hips rolling against him.

Suddenly Severus realized that he was missing the banquet and quickly slid down, lifting the witch's legs and diving into her dripping core with his tongue, lapping up her release like the sweetest honey Hermione squealed and buckled at the sensation of his supple muscle darting in and out of her, before he pressed his mouth to her and sucked hard, drawing out what remained. Then the Potions Master began to lash, suck and nibble her, running his tongue all around her softness, caressing her intimately.

"Severus…gods…you're driving me crazy," Hermione managed to gasp, her hand locking into his hair reflexively, pushing at him as if to move him away.

"That's the idea, witch," he said, his voice muffled as he redoubled his efforts, his head moving in small circles as Hermione's voice began to rise again, her thighs quivering on either side of his head.

More lubrication leaked from the witch, and the wizard slid two fingers inside her, groaning as he felt her heat and softness around his digits. Hermione thrust her pelvis forward urgently as she felt his long fingers enter her, thrusting gently. Gods, it wasn't enough as she rhythmically pumped her hips to try and make him go deeper. The Potions Master caught her flesh lightly between his teeth and pulled, making the witch screech and explode again, Hermione tightening over his fingers as her second orgasm washed over them and down his palm.

Severus withdrew his fingers and sucked them clean, then rubbed her release over her inner flesh until it glistened, then once again fell licking and sucking on her core. Hermione's eyes had rolled up into her head in bliss. Gods, Justice had never made her react like this when he had sex with her, and Severus hadn't even entered her yet. Merlin, how was she going to survive him? Hermione believed she might die from pleasure.

Her headstone would read: Death by Multiple Orgasms.

Severus was fully engorged with blood and throbbing, aching to play its part. It felt as if it weighed at least twenty pounds, and Severus couldn't wait any longer. The wizard pulled away from Hermione's core, his mouth glistening, the witch crying out as he did so, her pelvis rotating as she came down from her second release. Severus licked his lips, drawing in every bit of sweetness coating them, then climbed up Hermione's writhing body. He pulled her legs up as he ascended, trapping them under his arms as he positioned himself above her.

Hermione looked up at the wizard, panting prettily, her mouth partially open. Severus felt her legs trembling. He shifted his hips, dragging across her labia, watching her reaction, and she strained upward, but couldn't move because of the way he had her legs pinned. Her thighs were wide open to him, and he looked down at her pink flesh nestled between them, and growled. Hermione stared up at him.

The wizard who once was her teacher, cold, snarky, almost hateful, now hovered over her, his eyes heated and lusty, ready to show his desire for her in a very physical way. All of that powerful focus she secretly coveted was now completely on her just like she always fantasized. A powerful pulse of need tore through her body.

"Severus!" she cried brokenly, sounding as if she were in agony.

"You want me, witch?" he hissed at her, his eyes growing even darker. Even if she could say she didn't, it wouldn't have mattered now. She was his, and he was going to claim every inch of her.

"Yesssss," Hermione hissed back, her eyes like liquid fire now.

"Then I believe it's time for me to "stick my penis in you" as our son so aptly described this act. Although he didn't say it, the lad knows what my being your 'boyfriend' entails Hermione. I do this with his blessing, you know. Obviously, he wants you to have the best. Do you think I will be the best?"

Hermione squirmed anxiously beneath him, wanting to say "shut up and do me."

The problem was she did say it…without realizing it. She was in such a state that she voiced her thought clearly to the Potions Master, who scowled down at her.

"You are a rude and wanton little witch aren't you?" Severus hissed, reaching down and grasping himself, and positioning his member against her entrance. His nostrils flared

"As you wish, Hermione," he breathed, then thrust into the witch hard, stretching her over his girth, sliding through her tight sleeve and driving into her cervix forcefully.

Hermione jerked and cried out at the impact as the wizard filled her to the hilt, groaning in pleasure. Severus was enormous, hot, hard and felt oh so good as he penetrated her replacing her ache with his own.

"Oh my gods," Hermione gasped, tears of passion rolling from the corners of her eyes as Severus held himself deep inside her heat, his loins pressed against her buttocks, reveling in the feel of her softness wrapped around his thickness. Merlin, she felt fantastic.

"Mmmm," the Potions Master murmured, looking down at where their bodies connected, then up at the witch. "How do I feel, Hermione? As good as in the pensieve?"

Hermione sighed as he pressed into her. He hadn't begun shagging her yet.

"Almost," the witch breathed.

Hermione was really out of it. 'Almost' was not what the wizard was looking for. Severus was not about to be outdone by a damn memory, sensate or not.

"Almost?" he asked her, shifting a little a little, his brow furrowed. The witch groaned at his slight movement…he was so large that she could feel the slightest motion. Suddenly the wizard pulled back and slammed into her, jerking her body roughly. Hermione choked on her scream as he bored into her. Oh gods, he was so strong.

"Almost?" Severus said again, pulling almost all the way out of the witch and driving back into her, giving her his full length this time, the witch crying out, her hands rising to his chest, pushing at it.

"I'll give you almost, witch," the Potions Master said, rolling his hips, twisting inside the gasping witch. Then he started to stroke Hermione, his eyes blazing down at her as he slid in and out of her luscious little body, burying his length in her rhythmically, watching her face contort as he hit bottom over and over, her voice rising in intensity.

"Yesss," he hissed, increasing his speed and rotating his pelvis, reaming her walls hungrily, leaving no part of the witch untouched. His mouth dropped open as the sweetness of the witch's surrender sent pulse after pulse of pleasure throughout his flexing body as he drove into her.

Hermione was lost to the feeling of the Potions Master's possession and connection, his strong, rhythmic stroke like a absolution to her body, freeing her, releasing her from her need, pulling shrieks from within her as she jerked beneath him. What an ache Severus caused, and what an ache he soothed as he worked her body over, grunting now, perspiring as he watched his well-lubricated organ disappear, then reappear inside the witch, his pelvis slapping against her.

"You're still beautiful," he breathed down at Hermione as he pistoned in and out of her body, feeling her start to shudder again.

He released Hermione's legs and pulled out of her, rolling her to her stomach and pulling her to her knees. He entered her again, gasping as she closed over him, gripping her waist tightly and watching her buttocks ripple as he continued possessing her, the witch crying out as he drove deeper inside her.

"Hermione," he hissed, bending over her and pulling her hair from her neck and pressing his lips against her damp skin several times before moving to her ear. He slowed his stroke, still filling the witch strongly, but gentling as he pierced her sweet flesh.

"I regret what I did, Hermione. I am sorry, witch…so sorry that I wasn't able to be there for Mathias…and for you. But I am here now and willing to be whatever you need me to be for as long as you wish it. I'm invested now, but I leave my role to you. Whatever you wish, Hermione…whatever you need," he whispered, "This I vow now and forever."

Hermione let out a sob as she heard Severus' words and felt the magic swirl about them, Severus moving against her, moving inside her, filling her body…and possibly her heart as his oath took hold. He meant what he said. He would be there for her if she needed him. Suddenly the witch exploded with a cry, her heat boiling over the wizard, who hissed, howled and slammed into Hermione as he followed her climax with his own, wrapping his arms around her body and clutching her close as he released, his eyes fluttering as bliss shot through him.

Damn, she did it to him again.

Severus hadn't meant to release so soon. What was it about the witch that set him off like this? Normally the wizard would ride a witch until she was almost unconscious. As he gasped against Hermione's throat, he knew what it was. Hermione wasn't the kind of witch any wizard could shag. She was selective. She proved this by having only one lover in the past eleven years. One mediocre lover, apparently. So her surrender affected him, simply because it was a true surrender. It was that way the first time, and it was that way now. That knowledge was the trigger. She could make him go off like a muggle firearm. Hermione was the only witch he had met who could do this to him. He kissed her neck softly.

"Gods, you are exquisite," Severus groaned as he curled over her quaking body, feeling her insides clench and pulsate around his throbbing organ tightly. "I'm not leaving here until morning. I haven't had enough of you yet, witch."

Severus held himself deep in Hermione until the last delicious pulse subsided. Slowly he unwrapped his arms from around her still shuddering body, withdrawing his spent organ from her warmth reluctantly. He then flopped down to the bed, pulling the witch with him, tucking her back against his chest and holding her, burying his big nose in her hair, inhaling deeply. He had always liked the scent of jasmine.

Hermione felt the wizard's heart beating fast against her back, obviously still affected by their interlude. She was sore and sated, though she still felt an underlying desire for the wizard. The witch was glad he wasn't leaving. If Severus had shagged her, then left, she would have felt terrible. She would have felt used.

If Hermione had been any other witch, that is precisely what the Potions Master would have done. But she was the mother of his child, not to mention a brilliant woman, one of worth. She was no quick shag by any means…not this time. He could stay if he chose, and he chose to. Plus he hadn't had his fill of her. He had promised the witch a trip around the world, and he fully intended to take her on that journey. He would have to find a way to jam that trigger. He noticed the witch was very quiet. He jostled her a bit.

"Hermione? Are you all right?" he asked her, feeling a bit of concern. Was the witch dissatisfied? Disappointed? Did she want him to go?

Hermione turned in his arms and brought up one small hand and caressed his nose. She was the only witch who had ever willingly touched his big schnoze. She actually liked it. Another plus in favor of the witch.

"I'm better than I've been in a long time, Severus," she said softly, and stretched in his arms like a kitten. The wizard felt a throb already as her body flexed against his. "You were marvelous."

Severus couldn't help taking a little jab at Justice.

"I suspect next to Mr. Forall, anyone would be considered 'marvelous.' Didn't he take time with you, Hermione?" Severus asked her, his black eyes searching her face.

"Justice was very sweet…he just got a bit overexcited during sex. He wanted it often but…like I said…he would get overexcited quite a bit. Not always. I just thought that's how it was with wizards…until…until the pensieve," she said haltingly, not wanting to put Justice down. He had been with her for five years after all, and treated her as well as he could. That counted for something.

Severus' eyes flicked over the witch.

"I can see how that could happen to a man with you, Hermione. You are absolutely delicious, and I have to admit…you seem to set me off as well, witch. You did the first night I was with you, and you did it tonight," he said, studying her face.

Hermione was really quite lovely in her way. Not a classic beauty by any means, but still…there was some inner beauty that shined through. Maybe it was her eyes. They were so expressive.

"What do you mean, Severus?" the witch asked him.

Gods, he had been everything she wanted him to be. Hermione felt a little pulse as she looked at him. He could be more if he liked. Severus saw the little flash of heat in her eyes and gave her a small smirk.

"I mean witch, I should have rode you into conniptions, despite your orgasms. That is my usual mode of operation. You're the only witch in years to have escaped that fate. Generally by the time I'm finished, most witches are crawling away from me…or attempting to. I can't seem to get to that point with you…yet," he said.

Hermione frowned slightly.

"I'm not sure I want you to," she replied, "that sounds rather painful, Severus. You…you are huge. I'm already sore from you."

"You'll get used to me…and to a little pain for the sake of pleasure," he said in a silky voice that shot right between Hermione's thighs. "If you want to…that is. Whether or not I return to your bed is up to you, witch. I would not presume you to be my lover."

Hermione studied him a moment.

"Severus…I imagine you have a rather active sex life," she said to him.

He arched an eyebrow.

"I do…all right," he replied.

Actually he had several witches who would gladly accommodate him whenever he wanted. All he had to do was show up at their doors. They all were masochists and he knew he wasn't the only wizard meeting their twisted little needs. He studied Hermione again. He had felt her excitement when he gripped her hair…he suspected she had a sexual nature much darker than she knew.

"I don't think we'll be lovers," she said softly, her amber eyes meeting his.

Severus understood. She didn't want to sleep with the entire wizarding world.

"I use protection," he said.

"You didn't use it with me, other than a contraceptive spell," she said a bit accusingly.

He looked at her consideringly.

"That's because I knew you have no wizarding STD's, witch," he responded.

"But what about you? How could I be sure about you, Severus?" she asked him.

Severus scowled.

"Because I just told you, I use protection…strong protection. Impenetrable wards," he said, growing a bit angry. He also felt himself hardening.

"Doesn't that affect sensitivity?" Hermione asked him, looking very skeptical.

"Somewhat," Severus replied. Hermione had been the first witch he didn't use a ward with in ages. Years in fact. Probably eleven years.

"I think after tonight, Severus…our relationship will be more…associative," Hermione said carefully. "You have your lifestyle…and I have mine. We shouldn't have to compromise who we are."

Hermione felt her heart sinking as she told the wizard this. She would have liked to have snarky Severus Snape for a lover. He was amazing. He made her feel…gods. Lusty. Randy. On fire. Plus, Mathias would have been very happy if they had a relationship.

Severus looked at Hermione, realizing she wouldn't try to tell him he had to be monogamous, not knowing that if he had one witch he could trust who was receptive to him and attentive to his needs, he'd easily leave other witches alone. He wouldn't need them. The women he slept with were simply to satisfy his carnal needs. He had no relationship with any of them. All they saw him as was a stud and he knew it. Not one felt about him as he suspected Hermione did. If he was Hermione's lover, he knew she wouldn't let another wizard touch her.

Hermione saw the thoughtful look on the wizard's face. She wasn't about to make demands of the wizard. He never took that well before, and just because she let him take her, didn't mean he would be inclined to change his entire life for her.

"Hermione," Severus said, "I took an oath for you, promising to be whatever you need me to be. I only need to know what you want me to be. Preferably without you exercising that damnable Gryffindor selflessness. There are times in life when you have to be selfish when dealing with others, witch. I have been selfish concerning you and Mathias for the past eleven years. I believe it is your right to make demands of me now."

Hermione looked at him, but didn't say anything. Severus sighed.

"Listen Hermione, I know what you feel for me and I have always been attracted to you since you reached the age of consent. You are intelligent, loyal and independent in your lifestyle as well as your thinking, and I admire that. If you want me as your monogamous lover and are willing to accept me as I am, I can be monogamous. Actually, it would be quite nice to have a witch to sleep with that no one else does, especially one I am attracted to on a number of levels. There is never anything else beyond shagging with the witches I see now. They aren't my intellectual equals so we have nothing in common other than sexual organs that are compatible. You and I have Mathias as well. There will always be a connection Hermione. I wouldn't find it terrible to bed only you. You are quite gifted, and will only improve with time and practice."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at this last statement. Severus sounded like she was a witch-in-training. She laughed, she couldn't help herself.

Severus scowled. He was being serious with the witch and she was laughing at him.

"I find nothing funny, Hermione," he said a bit heatedly.

Hermione managed to stop laughing.

"Severus…I'm gifted and will improve with time and practice? You make me sound as if I'm training for a marathon."

Severus gave her a wicked grin.

"If you take me for a lover witch, you will be," he purred at her. "I will soon become acclimated to your delicious little body and steamy responses. Then you will become quite athletic. I will give you plenty of sexercise to strengthen you up. The workouts will be quite satisfying," he said, pulling her closer to him, swelling. Hermione let out a little gasp as he throbbed against her belly.

"I don't know, Severus," the witch said softly. "I'll have to think about it."

"You do that, witch," the Potions Master said, suddenly rolling to his back and pulling the witch on top of him.

"Maybe I can help you 'think," he said, pushing her up into a sitting position so she straddled him, her knees on either side of his lean, pale body.

He could feel the heat of her core resting against his lower belly, and made a little noise as he inflated fully, ready for round two.

"In this case, two heads are better than one…even if only one of them actually has a brain," Severus hissed, pushing Hermione further down his body so she sat directly on his organ, then pulling her upward with one hand and grasping his erection. He positioned it at her opening, Hermione gasping as the thick head brushed over her.

"Have you ever been taken this way?" he breathed at her, grasping both of her shoulders.

"No," she said softly, looking down at his body, then into his eyes.

"Good," the wizard said, yanking the witch downward and impaling her.

* * *

Hermione shrieked as the Potions Master unceremoniously jerked her over his cock, burying himself deep inside her, her ass resting against his loins at the witch panted. Severus slid his hands from her shoulders and over her breasts, taking a moment to fondle them, before continuing down and gripping her waist. The witch's eyes were half-lidded as she looked down on him. He suddenly bent her forward. 

"Kiss me, witch," he breathed.

When he pulled her downward, he shifted inside her, his angle changing, Hermione gasping at the pressure. She locked her mouth to his, and the wizard wrapped his arms around her, holding her securely in place and possessing her, the witch breaking the kiss as he did so.

"Kiss me!" he demanded, bringing one hand up to the back of her head, and forcing her mouth back to his, the witch crying out into his mouth as he held her pinned, driving into her over and over, the angle steep, making him feel even longer than what he was as he hit bottom. He was holding Hermione so tightly, there was no give as his swollen head beat against her cervix.

Severus released her mouth, staring into her eyes hotly as he slid in and out of her softness with a vengeance, his face contorted with pleasure. This time when Hermione orgasmed he hissed as her fluids poured over him, coating his loins, but didn't come. He rode the witch through it hungrily, listening to her cries of release, a small smirk of victory on his face as she quaked in his arms, her body feeling as if a bonfire were burning just below the surface.

He loosened his grip on her and forced her back to a sitting position, still stroking her, sitting up himself and working his body to the edge of the bed, still pulling the witch over him. Hermione was gone now, babbling words he couldn't understand, but he didn't need to…she was all his now, there was nothing she knew but his body burrowing into hers…and that's exactly how he wanted Hermione, lost to him, lost to his possession. Severus wanted the witch to fall apart because of him, and when she came back together, he would be imprinted on her psyche and she would want him to return to her again and again.

Severus got his legs over the edge of the bed, placing his feet on the floor, fucking the witch in a sitting position for several minutes before he stood, lifting her against him, Hermione reflexively locking her legs around his waist as he pulled her petite body back and forth and locked his mouth to hers again. She wasn't shrieking any more, only moaning sexily as he bounced her on his hardness, pistoning into the witch, determined to show her how talented a lover he was, and what she could experience with him anytime she desired it.

"I bet Mr. Forall never took you like this, witch," he breathed at her as Hermione fell back in his arms, arching toward the floor. She was almost horizontal as Severus continued to possess her, grunting with effort as he put his tool to her. She didn't weigh much and he took full advantage of that fact as he claimed her. No one had ever given the witch the ride he was giving her. The wizard looked down on her body, arching before him, her full breasts bouncing, her hair stuck to the side of her face by perspiration. Gods, the witch was so, so sexy.

Hermione was becoming slippery in his arms and he pulled her back up, carried the passion-drunk witch to a clear area of the bedroom wall and pressed her back against it. Severus then slipped his arms under her legs, pulled them from around his waist and opened her thighs up wide. The witch did her best to hold on to him, wrapping her arms around his neck

"Gods…yes…yes…take it, witch," Severus growled, plowing into Hermione almost frantically, his body slapping loudly against her as he let go. He was on automatic now, unable to stop taking her, burying himself into her sweet body hard and fast, groaning and hissing as her juices made her tightness slick and well-oiled, her body fully adjusted to his size.

"Damn, you're a strong little witch, Hermione," he gasped at her.

Hermione couldn't speak…she was nothing but a passionate, willing vessel now, primal, needful, taking his ache and loving it. She didn't know it could be like this…so total, so powerful, so earth-shaking. She let out a weak cry as her final orgasm poured over Severus, her arms slipping from his neck and dangling at her sides. The wizard had her, and now finished her, driving into her almost brutally as he moved toward his own release, the pressure and pleasure building as he gave her his last, long hard strokes, then began to shudder, quaking against the witch, his eyes rolling up into his head as his powerful release blasted through him, his knees buckling as he slammed into Hermione and filled her with his seed, groaning loud and long as stream after stream flowed through him, both he and Hermione trembling against each other as they reached and tumbled over the pinnacle.

It took every ounce of strength the wizard had left to hold Hermione against that wall until he finished filling her, then Severus slowly sunk to his knees, Hermione sliding down the wall before him, their bodies disengaging as she came to rest on the floor before him, her knees upraised on either side of him as she sat against the wall, the wizard falling back on his hands, panting furiously as he looked at the witch. Her face was mostly covered by her hair, her eyes half-lidded and unfocused. The wizard wasn't sure if she was with him or still feeling the effects of her own orgasm.

Severus' heart pounded in his chest, and he felt physically weak…which was saying something because the wizard was in very good shape. The witch had worn him out.

His breathing finally slowed. Gods, he was exhausted. He had to get Hermione to the bed before they both fell asleep where they were.

"Hermione," he said softly. The witch didn't respond at first.

"Hermione," Severus said more urgently, sitting up on his knees again and caressing her cheek to rouse her.

He had thoroughly fucked the witch this time, and he was satisfied for the moment. He imagined she wouldn't want any more sex tonight. She had to be sore and aching. But still, he felt no inclination to leave.

Hermione stirred, and her amber eyes fully opened and rested on him. They went unbelievably soft.

"Severus," she breathed. She shifted her body, then winced…her face contorting as she felt the aftermath of the wizard's ardor throbbing between her thighs.

"Gods, I hurt," she said softly.

Severus half-wished he could say he was sorry, but he wasn't. Not at all.

"Yes, I imagine you do, witch. I'll take you to bed," he said, slowly pushing himself up. He felt a bit stronger, strong enough to lift the witch. He bent down and picked Hermione up, the witch hissing a bit from the ache inside her. Severus carried her over to the bed and laid her down in it as far left as he could manage, then climbed in after her.

Hermione yawned as she turned toward him.

"So tired," she whispered, tucking her hands under her cheek like a child and closing her eyes. She fell asleep instantly.

Severus stared at the witch for a long time, feeling he was quite a lucky wizard to be accepted into her bed, particularly considering their past. He doubted she would ever forget what he'd done to her and Mathias…but this was close enough to forgiveness to ease his heart just a bit. He would always feel guilt…just as he felt the guilt of every evil deed he'd ever done in the service of the Dark Lord. Damn him.

Then the wizard's thoughts turned to Mathias.

He'd be very happy about this development…but Severus doubted Hermione would want her son to know the Potions Master successfully "stuck his penis in her" a second and third time and she had enjoyed it very much.

More than likely the boy knew he was gone since he didn't go to his Head of House office as he did every weekend for at least two hours to make himself available to his Slytherins. Mathias might think he was in his private rooms however.

But somehow Severus suspected the boy would know he wasn't. He didn't know why he felt that way, but he did.

* * *

At that very moment, Mathias was engaged in a game of wizarding chess with Andreas. He was winning this time. The table was positioned so he could see down the corridor that led to the common room and the door to his father's office. But he wasn't there. 

"I wonder where Professor Snape is," he said idly.

Andreas looked at the young wizard, his eyes unfocusing for several moments.

"Your father's not in the castle," the wizard said, looking down at the chessboard and frowning. Mathias had him locked down. No matter what move he made, someone was going to get run through. His pieces quivered, looking up at him in miniscule terror.

Mathias looked at the black wizard sitting across from him. He already had a deep respect for the Old Arts he evidenced.

"Where is he?" Mathias inquired.

Andreas smirked.

"I will not tell you that, but I can tell you he likes your mother very much," the wizard said, his black eyes twinkling as he looked back down at the board.

Mathias smiled broadly. If his father wasn't in the castle, Andreas' response meant there was only one place the wizard could be…

The little wizard rubbed his palms together happily.

He could ask his father about those extra potions lessons now.

* * *

Hermione woke up in the middle of the night, parched, aching, starving and having to use the loo. She shifted slightly and groaned, then suddenly was aware of a weight across her middle. The magical lamp in her bedroom was turned low and her eyes adjusted slowly. She could make out Severus, laid out next to her on his stomach, one arm thrown across her belly. He was naked, his long, lean body relaxed as he slept. She looked at the sleeping wizard, and felt a throb in her belly as she remembered how he had taken her. 

Hermione still had a sense that her body was no longer hers. The Potions Master had claimed her totally, driving into her until she was incoherent with surrender. She had never experienced anything remotely like this with Justice. There was pleasure, but not a complete merging as with Severus. The wizard was intense, strong, demanding and thorough. She had never had more than two orgasms during sex, and he pulled four from her. Severus was a fantastic, uninhibited lover. The pensieve didn't begin to cover his abilities. After tonight, the witch knew the pensieve would no longer fulfill her…not after experiencing the Potions Master skin to skin. She would give it back.

Could she take him for a lover?

She stared down at Severus' face, his long, dark lashes resting against his cheeks. He seemed at peace lying here. The wizard always seemed to be on guard in the waking world, but here…it was as if he felt safe. Hermione sighed. She was probably reading more into him than what was there. Still, he said he was willing to be monogamous if she accepted him as he was. What did that mean exactly? How else could she accept him?

Everyone would be angry with her if Severus became a part of her life, except Mathias. But the wizard was already tied to her, through their son. And he had gone through so much to try and make things right, to give both of them safety and keep them from the wrath of the Dark Lord. He sacrificed himself…and was willing to go to his death for them. That meant a lot to the witch. Plus she was so attracted to him, and after tonight Hermione knew his sex would be like a drug to her.

Gods, Severus was so overwhelming, but Merlin knew the witch wanted to be overwhelmed by him. There was something about the way the wizard made love that touched a darker part of her. A part she didn't even know existed until tonight. Maybe that was what was wrong between her and Justice. He wasn't dominating enough. Severus didn't ask…he took. And took. And took.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably again, her bladder full. Tentatively, she lifted Severus' arm, and the wizard's eyes instantly opened.

"Going somewhere?" he asked her sleepily.

"To the bathroom," she replied, making an attempt to climb over him and gasping at the ache. The wizard looked at her for a moment, then rolled out of the bed, leaned down and grabbed her, lifting her in his arms and carrying her into the bathroom and setting her down on the loo. Hermione was very embarrassed and reddened. He looked at her.

"No need to be shy now, Hermione," he purred at her. "I know you quite intimately witch. Go on. I'll go get you some water, your lips are chapped. You have next to no fluids left."

Severus left the bathroom, and picked his wand up off the floor. He scourgified himself and the bed, then rifled through his discarded clothing until he located his boxers and slipped them on. He turned up the magic lamps for Hermione, then walked over to her dresser, pulling a drawer open. It was full of knickers and bras. He was curious but closed the drawer and opened the next one, finding nightgowns. He selected a short one and laid it out on the bed for her, then walked back to his clothes and pulled her wand out of his trouser pocket and laid it on the nightstand where she would see it. Then he exited the bedroom, heading for the kitchen.

Hermione winced as she peed. Gods that little trickle stung. She stood up slowly and wiped herself, which was almost agony, then flushed the loo and washed her hands. She smelled strongly of sex and sweat. She needed to scourgify herself. She'd get a satisfying shower in the morning. The witch walked over to her medicinal cabinet and opened it, praying she had some healing and pain potion. The witch sighed with relief. She did. She first drank down the pain potion, and her aching subsided. Then she drank down the healing potion and her sore inner flesh was restored.

"Gods, I love magic," she breathed, tossing both empty bottles in the wastebasket. She walked back into the bedroom and saw her wand on the nightstand. She picked it up and scourgified herself. Ah, much better. She noticed the short nightie on her bed and pulled it on. She felt a bit less accessible now, not that the thin fabric would protect her from the wizard should he become randy again. But at least it covered her assets.

Suddenly Severus returned with a pitcher of water, two glasses filled with never-melting ice and four sandwiches. Hermione could have kissed him. She was starving. The Potions Master set all the items on top of her nightstand and looked the witch over. She had scourgified herself and dressed. She moved a lot easier as well.

"You look recovered," he said silkily. "I assume you had some potions handy."

"Yes, thank goodness," she replied, pouring herself a glass of water and draining it thirstily.

The Professor studied her.

"I think I shall stock your medicinal cabinet for you my next visit," he said, "presuming you will have me visit you again, witch."

Hermione looked at him a moment but didn't reply as she picked up a sandwich and sat down on the edge of the bed. Severus had used the breakfast ham to make the small meal, but that was fine. The sandwich was delicious.

Severus noted the witch didn't answer him. But that didn't necessarily mean she didn't want him to return. The wizard poured himself a drink of water, and drank it down slowly. He set the glass down and picked up a sandwich of his own, then joined the witch on the bed.

They were quiet as they ate, Hermione making short work of the first sandwich and quickly grabbing the second, pouring herself more water.

"You certainly can put it away," the wizard commented, biting his sandwich and chewing slowly as he watched the witch wolf down her second sandwich.

Hermione stopped eating, reddening. She was eating very quickly.

"I'm very hungry," she replied, looking at him. "If you hadn't stopped by I'd still be sleeping."

"If I hadn't stopped by you'd either be in the pensieve or dreaming about me, Hermione. I hope I've proven to you beyond a doubt that my reality is better than fantasy," he said, staring at the witch intently.

Hermione looked at him, then dropped her eyes feeling a bit…well, shy at the way she had received him. She was thirty-one, far from a child now, but still she felt a bit awkward and out of sorts. Of course she did, Severus had shagged her into incoherency.

"Have I?' the wizard pressed her. "Do you still want to keep my pensieve?"

Severus half hoped Hermione would say she did still want to use the pensieve. That would give him the perfect excuse to drag her down, lift her nightie and plow into her again.

"No," she said softly, finishing her sandwich, "You can take it with you when you leave it the morning. "It's lost its zing now."

Severus smirked at the witch as he reached for the last sandwich. He noticed Hermione looked at it rather hungrily as he drew it towards him. The witch certainly had a hearty appetite after sex. The wizard tore the sandwich in half and handed the witch a portion. Hermione smiled at him and bit into it gratefully.

"I think you've just found something with more 'zing' witch," he said, biting into the sandwich. He chewed and swallowed. "Me."

Hermione gave him a small smile, but again, didn't say anything.

Severus decided to change the topic.

"Monday morning I shall come down to the Ministry and collect you," he said.

The witch looked rather startled at this statement.

"Collect me? Why?" Hermione asked him, imagining the reaction of the employees if the tall, pale wizard came to her office and arbitrarily took her away.

"To go to the Bureau of Magical Statistics and alter Mathias' birth certificate to reflect my surname. He asked me to do it this afternoon. He said you knew he wanted the name change," he said looking at her intently to see how she felt about her son dropping her surname.

"Yes, I knew…I just didn't think it would be so soon," she said in a low voice.

Her son had been Mathias Granger all his life, and his grandfather was happy that his name would carry on. Her father would be very disappointed at this development.

Severus saw the look on her face.

"We can hold it off for a while if it disturbs you, Hermione. I know this isn't easy for you," Severus said to the witch.

Hermione shook her head.

"No. Mathias is right. It will make things easier for him in the long run. I didn't even know he knew what a bastard was," she said, her voice quavering slightly.

Severus felt a little twinge. His son was a bastard because of him, and would always be one. But that didn't make him any less worthy than the next wizard. The Potions Master was sure the boy would make a name for himself when he became an adult. He was already quite extraordinary, at least in Severus' eyes.

"I have a feeling Mathias knows much more about life than you know, Hermione. He is a bright, inquisitive boy, who is self-motivated and likes to know the facts. He is not pining about being illegitimate, he is finding ways to deal with it. He is a problem-solver like his mother. He will be fine, witch," the Potions Master said, allowing a bit of warmth in his voice.

"He's doing quite well in school," Hermione said, feeling slightly better.

"Yes, he is," Severus said. "His marks are quite high, and his work of good quality. I am afraid I am going to have to give him the same treatment I gave you to keep him humble," Severus said, drinking a bit more water and climbing back into Hermione's bed, stretching out on his back, placing his arms behind his head.

Hermione looked at the Potions Master lying in her bed as if he had always belonged there.

"You certainly don't have a problem making yourself comfortable," she said to the wizard, walking around the bed and entering from the other side to avoid climbing over him. He smirked as she circled the bed, knowing she was trying to avoid him grabbing her.

"Actually, I do have trouble getting comfortable in most places. Even in these quiet times I have to stay on my guard," the wizard said, arching an eyebrow at her. "But I believe, Hermione that you bear me no ill will and am quite relaxed in your presence."

Suddenly the wizard's silk boxers jumped noticeably. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Well, most of me is relaxed," he amended. Then he studied her.

"I want you again, Hermione," he said to her, his silk boxers swelling before the witch's eyes. "Are you still aching?"

Hermione stared at the wizard, her eyes drifting over his muscular, lean body, heat rising between her legs. The ache she felt had nothing to do with their previous bout of unbridled sex. Hell, he was here, and he was good. The witch didn't know when she would see him next, well, not intimately anyway.

"No, that ache is gone," she said softly.

The Potions Master sat up on his elbows.

"But there is another ache, isn't there witch?" he asked her, his eyes glittering. "I can see it in your eyes, Hermione. Already you are needing me."

The wizard quickly rolled on top of her, making the witch gasp at his sudden weight on her body. But gods, it was a welcome weight.

"It's good to be needed," he purred, kissing her as he began to push up her gown.

It was a good hour before the couple finally fell into an exhausted but sated sleep. This time Severus got the witch to say she would accept him as her lover, stroking into Hermione hard, deep and fast until she shrieked it to the heavens.

* * *

Poppy returned from her weekend off in a foul mood. She had attended Saturday's DKV meeting in good spirits. Her first act upon arriving was to locate the coordinator and inform her that she had information to that would be quite shocking to the group. The coordinator tried to get the medi-witch to divulge it, but Poppy was going for the "big shock" factor and said she would rather share it with the group as a whole. 

The medi-witch sat rather smugly through the meeting, which consisted mostly of DKV jargon and recaps of what the organization was about for those new members in attendance. Then they discussed the latest efforts of the group as far as making changes to the existing laws. There was a new reform they were trying to get accepted. The "Muggleborn Incentive Program."

On the surface, it looked to be something advantageous for struggling muggle-borns who wanted to be accepted by the DKV, a kind of insurance for them when the organization came into full power and the laws changed. Many muggle-borns would most likely lose their positions and the MIP was a program where muggle-borns would sign up and be guaranteed employment, a decent wage and job security.

However, the only positions would be blue-collar jobs. No positions of authority. Those would be taken by purebloods. Any muggle-born who signed on to the program would be in essence, a DKV member, though they would have no decision-making privileges in the organization and would only be allowed to attend certain meetings. Still, signing on to the MIP would be of benefit when the New Order was established. Those muggle-borns who did so would not be greatly affected by the new laws that would come into play, simply because they would already be indoctrinated and under the DKV's thumb.

Poppy sat through the meeting, which had over five hundred members in attendance, waiting for the part of the program where members mounted the dais and announced their latest discoveries and information. This was followed by great applause and acknowledgement if the information was worthy of it. Poppy was sure the news that Severus Snape, an established deatheater had an illegitimate son eleven years of age and birthed by a muggle-born would be considered quite interesting by the membership. She might even be granted an interview with Voldemort himself. Wouldn't that be something?

Imagine Poppy's consternation when the coordinator stepped to the podium with the latest DKV news, and told the members that an established deatheater named Severus Snape came forth of his own volition and admitted to fathering a child by a muggle-born witch eleven years ago, and that Voldemort, instead of casting him out, accepted the child, Mathias Granger-Snape as a suitable half-blood for DKV membership in the future. She also announced that the child's mother, Hermione Granger was also to be given consideration and not targeted until her son came of age and renounced her.

Poppy slumped in her chair. This was awful. Her information was suddenly made null and void. She had no idea Severus had come forward with the truth. Damn it. When the coordinator called the medi-witch to the podium, Poppy was forced to admit she had nothing of worth to offer in front of five hundred DKV members, all of who shook their heads and made disparaging comments about members who brought nothing to the table. Afterwards during the mixer, not one member mingled with her. She stood by the libations table alone as people talked and laughed around her, politely shunning the witch. It had been horrible.

So she returned to Hogwarts on Monday morning with quite an attitude. She was furious with Professor Snape as if he had purposely sabotaged her intended presentation. When she passed by the wizard as he sat eating his breakfast in the Great Hall, she fixed him with a targeted glare, not that the wizard noticed. But Albus did.

The old wizard shook his head sadly as he looked at the medi-witch. He was well aware of her affiliation with the DKV, since she wore short sleeves quite often and prominently displayed her Mark. It was a shame bitterness took her down such a path. Although he was the Headmaster of the school, Albus could not take a teacher or staff member to task for their political affiliations.

Poppy saw her Dark Mark only as a visual representation of her membership in a political organization. But Albus and many others knew it was much more than that. It was a representation of the Dark Lord's hold on her. His brand. She belonged to him now. When Voldemort invoked that mark, Poppy would become a mindless minion intent on slaughter and mayhem. The Order had to find a way to prove the Mark's real purpose and make the members see what danger they were in.

But Voldemort's political machine had the DKV members thoroughly indoctrinated. Even questioning the organization's beliefs was considered harassment and met with strong opposition as well as thinly veiled threats of legal action against the perpetrator. Members were to report any incidences of DKV bashing immediately, including the name of the offending party. The person was then put on a "watch list" which was distributed monthly to members. It was their job to make life difficult for that person by any means available outside of physical violence. Most often the attacks would be on a social level, targeting not only the person but family members, husbands, wives and children. Sometimes the attack would be economical. If a DKV member employed the offender, he or she could easily find himself or herself without a job, no matter how many years of service they provided.

Some business-owners joined the DKV not for their philosophy, but for the economic advantages. A DKV merchant sticker was given to the proprietors to place in a prominent area. If members saw this sticker, they frequented the establishment. With the offer of one hundred thousand potential customers as incentive, many business owners joined willingly, figuring taking the mark would be quite profitable in the end. It was even better if they were seen by other members giving shoddy service to known muggle-borns. There were more half-bloods and purebloods than muggle-borns in the wizarding world, so the customer loss was minimal and well worth the effort.

The DKV was quite supportive in matters of this type, with members even being instructed to frequent favored establishments. One merchant went as far as to post a sign in his window stating he did not serve muggles or muggle-borns. Of course, the Ministry came down on him and he had to remove the sign, but not before earning a windfall from all the business sent his way by the DKV. He made a small fortune.

With incentives such as these, the DKV continued to grow in leaps and bounds. It wouldn't be long until the campaign for Voldemort to be accepted back into wizarding society would begin. And that would be the true beginning of the end.

* * *

Mathias and Andreas were sitting together in the Great Hall enjoying their breakfast. The two wizards had fallen into an easy friendship, and it was safe to say that the boys were quickly becoming the best of friends. Mathias appreciated Andreas' intelligence, quiet, non-judgmental demeanor and rather accepting manner, not to mention his magical abilities. Very little ruffled the wizard, not even the racism he experienced from his other housemates. It was nothing overt. No one called him names. Mostly it was a quiet withdrawal from his proximity, or empty seats on either side of him in class. Mathias would have sat with him, but didn't have any classes with Andreas, since he was a first year. Still, as even-tempered as the black wizard was, there had to be a reason why he was sorted into Slytherin. Mathias was sure sooner or later he would see why. 

Andreas gravitated to Mathias simply because the boy accepted him for who he was. He never discerned any falseness with the pale wizard. There was no duplicity. If Mathias said how he felt, he meant it. He didn't see Andreas as anything other than a fellow housemate and Andreas knew he would be a loyal friend, one who would stand by him if he were needed. He didn't have many friends at Hogwarts. Actually Mathias Snape was the only one so he was treasured.

As Mathias bit into a piece of toast and jam, Jasmine Malfoy walked over and sat down beside him. Immediately Mathias scowled and looked at her in irritation. He swallowed.

"What do you want now, Jasmine?" Mathias said, frowning at her.

Jasmine blinked her blue eyes at him.

"I just want to apologize, Mathias," she replied.

At this statement, a rather shocked Andreas leaned forward and looked at the witch. Jasmine apologizing? The world was going to end.

The scowl on Mathias' face didn't change.

"Apologize for what?" he asked her suspiciously.

"For everything. You're right. I have been acting like an idiot. I need to be more open to life and not just follow my father's beliefs so blindly. And I'm sorry for trying to tell you what to do, Mathias. I won't be doing that anymore. But I don't blame you if you don't want to talk to me. I've acted horribly…like a spoiled little brat. I'm sorry," she said, her eyes glistening as she stood up to leave.

Mathias looked at her. She had apologized and promised not to act like such a chit. He could accept that. Mathias wasn't mean by nature. Jasmine just managed to get on his last nerve. If she were willing to change he could give her another chance.

"Wait, Jasmine…you…you don't have to go. You can eat with us," the boy said.

"I don't want to be a bother," she said, sitting back down.

Mathias let his black eyes wash over her.

"If you meant what you just said, then you won't be," he replied.

Next to him, Andreas served himself another helping of eggs and toast. He didn't comment on Jasmine's sudden change of heart. It wasn't his place to. Life had to play out without too much interference or there was a great price to pay. Too heavy a price for Andreas.

Suddenly owls flocked into the Great Hall.

Everyone looked up, chattering excitedly as the owls delivered letters and parcels. A large brightly beaked bird landed in front of Andreas, a package wrapped in vividly colored fabric tied to its legs.

"Osuru!" Andreas exclaimed, stroking the bird affectionately. "You've come a long way, my friend. Thank you."

The wizard piled some fruit on a plate and placed it before the toucan, who dove into it hungrily as the wizard removed the package. Mathias and Jasmine looked at it curiously.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Jasmine asked the wizard.

"No, it is not meant for everyone's eyes," Andreas replied, setting the package aside but close to him.

This served to make Jasmine only more curious, but she bit her tongue as her grandmother instructed.

Mathias was curious too, but figured if Andreas wanted him to know what was in the package, he would tell him, and returned to his meal.

Jasmine sat quietly next to Mathias and ate her food. Grandmother had been right. He accepted her apology and had been nice to her. She could do this…it required quite a bit of acting, but Malfoys were natural thespians. She could pull off this 'nice, thoughtful witch" act easily. She would get Mathias to believe she was this reformed little angel, then find out what he liked and work at him slowly over time. She had plenty of time to learn him. Once she learned him, she could start to carefully manipulate him. But that would be when they were both older and the look in his eyes changed when he looked at her. Jasmine would recognize that look and use it to her advantage.

She was sure she wouldn't fail.

* * *

When Mathias went to Potions class that afternoon, the Professor was there in all his snarky glory. The little wizard studied him closely to see if there were any noticeable change in the wizard's demeanor because of his visit to see Hermione, but if there was…Mathias couldn't see it. 

Severus railed about the poor marks of the last pop quiz, lamenting he hadn't had to teach such a group of dunderheads since the time of Neville Longbottom, a statement which made Edwina sink low in her seat. The Potions Master assigned an insane amount of reading to be completed by the end of the week, when a new quiz would be given…and this was to be done along with their regular daily assignments. Severus stalked up and down the rows, handing out the red striped parchments, scowling blackly. He handed Mathias his quiz, frowning down at him.

"Just because you passed the quiz, Mr. Snape, is no reason to assume you will not be required to do the assigned reading or take the test, because you will be," the Potions Master sniped, then continued on, stiffly handing out parchments to the rest of the blanching students.

Mathias just raised his eyebrows and studied his quiz. He'd received perfect marks. Maybe his father's visit to his mum hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. Well, he'd ask the Professor about it later. All the wizard could do was take points and tell him to mind his own business. Judging by the Professor's mood, that's probably exactly what he'd do.

* * *

That evening, for the first time since starting Hogwarts, Mathias saw Andreas angry. The black wizard stormed through the common room, his eyes hard and nostrils flared, bumping into his fellow students without a word of pardon. One fifth-year caught the wizard by his shoulder, ready to take him to task as he spun Andreas to face him, but one look at the boy's face made the older wizard pale and release him. 

Mathias was impressed and watched Andreas fly up the steps to his private room. After several moments, Mathias decided to find out what was wrong with him. He had never been to Andreas' room before, nor had Andreas been to his, but this was a special situation. Mathias rose from the armchair he was sitting in. Jasmine had been sitting on the arm of the chair quietly.

"I'm going to see about Andreas," he said to the witch.

Jasmine nodded.

"Okay, Mathias. I hope he is all right," she replied.

Mathias nodded, walked to the stairs and ascended the steps quickly, his robes billowing a bit. Jasmine looked after him, her eyes narrowing slightly. She was a bit jealous of his interest in Andreas. She wanted all his attention.

Jasmine really could care less how Andreas felt, but since Mathias did, she played along. It seemed to work. Her grandmother was a genius.

Mathias walked down the corridor reading the little room cards until he saw the name "Mbutu" posted next to a door. Mathias knocked.

"Go away! I am not in the mood for anyone!" Andreas called out angrily.

"All right, Andreas. I will see you later," Mathias answered.

He was in the process of walking away from the door when it opened.

"Mathias," Andreas called to him.

The wizard turned, and Andreas motioned for him to come back, opening his door wider.

Mathias turned around and did so, entering the wizard's room. He looked around.

Andreas had an assortment of beautiful African masks, fabrics and paintings arranged on his wall. Small statues were everywhere. In a terrarium a small black snake flicked its tongue at Mathias, its eyes glittering like diamonds as its nose touched the glass. The room smelled of herbs and incense.

Andreas also had beautiful animal skins on the floor, zebra, leopard and others Mathias couldn't identify. A large, soft Lion skin draped his bed as well. The wizard was dressed only in his boxers, which were Slytherin green. He must have peeled off his robes the moment he entered his room, much as Mathias would do after class. Mathias noticed he had scars on his chest. Not scars as if from an accident, but scars that seemed to be etched in his dark skin on purpose. Andreas noticed Mathias looking at the marks.

"Ritual," he said, "From my own journey seeking out the "Dark Soul of the World". If you go on the journey, you will be marked as well. But maybe not like this."

Mathias studied them. There were four raised lines on the right of his torso and four on the left, all perfectly aligned and of the same length. It looked as if a big cat had hooked him with both paws from behind and dragged its claws back. They were very cool scars.

"Did they hurt much to get, Andreas?" Mathias asked him.

Andreas shrugged and looked down at his scars.

"I don't know, I received them when I was on my journey and awoke with them. The scars are not made by human hands but are given as proof you have been in the presence of the Dark Soul of the World. If you awaken without them, then you have simply dreamed…not journeyed. They do not hurt and look as if you have always had them when you awaken," the wizard said, tracing one of the scars with his fingertip.

Mathias nodded, glad he was at Hogwarts. His mother would have bugbears if she saw him scarred. But he was willing to face the Dark Soul of the World for the kind of magic Andreas exhibited. And the scars were cool. Mathias looked at his friend.

"Andreas, what were you so mad about when you came into the common room tonight? I've never seen you angry like that before," Mathias said curiously.

Andreas scowled blackly.

"That is because I have been taken beyond my limits, Mathias. There is a witch here that almost drives me insane. She is false and jealous, and punishes me ever chance she gets…not for being wrong…but for being right. She is a wicked, wicked witch," Andreas said, kneeling and reaching under his bed.

He pulled out a suitcase with a number of locks on it.

"Who is it, Andreas?" Mathias asked as he watched the wizard hoist the suitcase on to his bed.

"Professor Trelawney," the wizard spat, his brows drawn together. "Ever since she discovered I have the True Sight, she singles me out and tries to show me up, wanting to challenge my predictions with her own as if it were some kind of competition. My gifts aren't meant to be used this way, but she deducts points or gives me a poor mark if I do not comply. Today she kept me after class and wanted me to tell her my secrets. I have no secrets but I would not tell her that either. She became irate and took one hundred points from Slytherin and assigned me a week's detention," he said, frowning as he undid all the locks and opened the case.

Mathias walked over to the wizard and his eyes widened as he looked down on what appeared to be several…dolls. They were about a foot tall each, except for one that was six inches with tufts of cotton all around its head. They were hand-sewn, made of coarse white cloth, and featureless, except for what features Andreas had drawn in. But their clothing showed that they were all wizards and witches.

"You play with dolls, Andreas?" Mathias asked him, a bit surprised that a wizard would do such a thing.

Andreas gave Mathias a look much like Mathias would give Jasmine when she said something incredibly stupid.

"No, I do not play with dolls. These are dolls, yes…but not for play. Each doll represents one of my teachers," Andreas said, "My mother told me I should be sure to make dolls of each of them at the beginning of each year and keep them until the year ends. If the teachers are fair with me, all is well. If not…."

A very wicked gleam rose in the wizard's black eyes as he took out a gauzily dressed doll with bangles, small necklaces and large glasses fashioned out of what looked like wire. Mathias had seen Professor Trelawney once or twice, though she mostly stayed in the North Tower. The doll favored her.

Suddenly Mathias understood why Andreas was in Slytherin.

* * *

Mathias looked at the doll with interest. 

"Is that a voodoo doll of Professor Trelawney?" the wizard asked Andreas just to confirm it was. Mathias had read about voodoo practices.

His mother said voodoo wasn't true magic, but Mathias felt if so many people believed in it there must be something to it. So what if it wasn't logical? Most things in the world weren't.

"No, it isn't a voodoo doll, though most would think it was. I cannot physically hurt the witch with this doll. I don't stick pins in it. It is more of a…a spiritual attack. I think muggles call it a psychological attack. I go for the mind," Andreas said. "The doll helps me to focus on the individual."

Mathias nodded.

"So what are you going to do to her?" he asked Andreas.

The wizard looked around his room, then grinned and pointed at the wall

"Bring me that mask, Mathias," he said.

Mathias did so. Andreas took it from him and studied it.

"This is a Chokwe tribe African mask," he said smiling as he looked at the burgundy face and white outlining. It even had dreadlocks. "I think this will make the perfect 'ancestral spirit' to trouble Trelawney with."

He looked at Mathias rather wickedly.

"You will help me?" he asked, his eyes glittering.

Mathias smirked.

"Of course," he replied.

Mathias had no qualms about helping Andreas get back at an unfair teacher. It sounded fun after all.

"Do you want to be an 'ancestral spirit' or an 'irate animal spirit?'" Andreas asked him.

Mathias thought about this. Andreas was already an ancestral spirit. Mathias studied the statues scattered about the wizard's room and saw a rather nice, realistic lion, snarling fiercely, a clawed paw ready to strike. Its fangs were huge. The lion itself was small, but somehow, Mathias was sure that wouldn't matter.

"Irate animal spirit," he replied, walking over to the little ceramic lion and picking it up.

Andreas sat on his bed holding the Trelawney doll in one hand and the mask in the other. Mathias walked over and sat down next to him, holding the lion and looking at it.

"Now what are we going to do exactly, Andreas?" Mathias asked him.

"Well, Trelawney has a mindset like most people who meet me. They automatically connect me with spirits, voodoo and other "tribal" magics. While spirits do exist, most of my powers are inherent as are yours. I don't need to call on any spirits to work the Old Arts. But the Divination teacher would expect African spirits to contact her concerning me…so since I don't actually have any African spirits handy, we're going to make some up. How are you at making spooky noises? Moans, groans, that sort of thing?"

Mathias shrugged.

"I've never done it before, but I've heard the Bloody Baron moan and groan," Mathias said.

"Try it," Andreas encouraged him.

"OOOooooOOOOarrrrrgh!" Mathias moaned and groaned, contorting his face and curling his hands for effect.

"That's good," Andreas said. "I am going to add hollowness and echo to the sound when we send it. I will make other noises, animal noises…."

Andreas suddenly let out a big cat snarl that sounded realistic enough to make Mathias jump.

"Wow," Mathias said, impressed.

Andreas also made a few chattering noises, and a trumpeting sound. He was really very good at mimicking animals. He nodded.

"We are almost ready," he said. "I wish we had a drum. That would make it perfect. A nice tribal backdrop."

Mathias looked at the wizard a moment. He normally did not show others how advanced his spell work was, but he knew Andreas would keep his secret. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at a statue of a woman dancing, concentrated and transformed it into a small drum, a replica of one he had seen in a book. Andreas smiled broadly and picked up the drum, tapping it and listening to the reverb.

"Perfect," the wizard said, passing the drum to Mathias. "You will have to play it while I contact Trelawney and make the animal sounds. You will also have to make the moans and groans."

Mathias practiced trying to make what sounded like an African beat. It didn't take him long to find an acceptable rhythm. The Divination Professor most likely wouldn't know the difference anyway.

Andreas retrieved a candle on a wide based stand and lit it with his wand tip.

"Can't have a visitation without fire," he said, grinning wickedly.

Mathias grinned back at him. This was going to be awesome.

* * *

"I'm certain that boy calls on a spirit guide or some dead ancestor to whisper in his ear. He has to. There's no other earthly explanation for it," Sybil Trelawney said to herself as she paced back and forth in her bedroom, an open bottle of sherry in her hand. "He has to tell me how he does it. Some African ritual I bet. He is going to tell me what it is or fail my class, so help me." 

She turned the bottle up to her mouth and took a hearty swig, then wiped it with her other hand.

"The little smartass. He's making me look bad in front of the other students," Sybil snarled.

When Dumbledore told Sybil a gifted second-year Slytherin would be placed in her class this year, she didn't realize how gifted Andreas would be. She also didn't seem to realize it was because she targeted Andreas and publicly challenged him in her class that he made her look bad. All she was supposed to do was teach him and the other students the different forms of divination. If she stuck to her lesson plan instead of jealously focusing on the young wizard, all would be right with the world. Sybil did have some divination powers but she couldn't use them at will. All the staff and Dumbledore were aware of this particular shortcoming, and over the weeks, her students became aware of it as well, no matter how unearthly she made herself sound. The witch wasn't exactly a fraud, but she was decidedly fraudulent when she tried to impress others with her powers. Having someone in her class that did exhibit not only the powers she coveted, but control over them made her feel inadequate, and so she lashed out at Andreas.

The third day of class, Sybil went around the room asking the students to make predictions. When Andreas made the prediction that Professor Severus Snape would be the next person to enter the Divinations classroom, Sybil had laughed at the boy horribly and announced to the class it was obvious that Andreas Mbutu had no psychic abilities at all.

The Potions Master had never come to the North Tower for any reason. Sybil was sweet on him, and he knew it. The idea of being alone in her domain did not thrill the wizard, and he didn't want to go through all the aggravation of dealing with Albus if he hexed her, so the Potions Master stayed away.

Class continued on, students occasionally snickering at Andreas, when suddenly a silky voice said.

"Pardon me for disrupting your class, Sybil. A word if you please."

The entire class turned to see Professor Snape in all his black-robed, pale glory standing just inside the Divinations classroom door, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Then everyone turned and looked at Andreas, who was sitting at his desk with his arms crossed, a smug look on his face. Trelawney had tried to shame him in front of his classmates, now she was the one shamed.

Sybil stared at the boy a moment, and her eyes narrowed. Then she walked over to the Professor to find out what he wanted. He needed some yarrow stalks immediately…he was out and in the process of brewing. Yarrow stalks were used for casting. Sybil had plenty and eyes fluttering, provided him with what he needed.

"If you need anything else, Professor…anything at ALL, you know where to find me," she trilled as Severus beat a hasty retreat from the classroom, shuddering.

When Trelawney returned to the classroom, she stared at Andreas.

"How did you do that?" she demanded in front of the class.

Andreas shrugged.

"I just do it," he replied. "But I am not supposed to waste the power that way. I am only supposed to look ahead when it is very important that I do so. And I am not supposed to reveal what I see to others unless there is a dire need."

Sybil had scowled at the boy.

"Well, Mr. Mbutu, in my classroom you will answer my questions whenever I ask you, if you want to pass. That is for you, a very dire need, indeed," she said rather nastily. She turned away from him.

"Professor Trelawney?" Andreas called to her politely. Sybil spun.

"What, Mr. Mbutu?" she replied unpleasantly.

"Shouldn't I received points for a correct prediction?" he asked her.

Sybil frowned at him.

"No. It was…it was a fluke, Mr. Mbutu. No points for Slytherin," she spat.

All of the Slytherin students began to grumble at her unfairness.

"Fifty points from Slytherin for questioning my decision!" she screeched, her voice shrilly.

The grumbling stopped immediately.

"Now all of you open "Divination for Beginners," read chapter two, summarize it and hand your parchments in before the end of class. Start right now!"

Sybil plopped into her chair behind her desk and spent the rest of the class glowering at Andreas, who did a marvelous job of pointedly ignoring her in such a way she knew she was being purposely ignored.

Just before class let out, Sybil gave an assignment requiring the students to make three predictions that would happen before the school week was out. It was to be turned in the next day. She'd see just how skilled Andreas Mbutu was in divination.

All three of Andreas' predictions came true by the end of the week. The first prediction was that Dumbledore would shave his beard. Sure enough while Albus was out in the Forbidden Forest trying to take a unicorn census, some Fliggity Flickets, magical blood-sucking fleas infested his beard, and he was forced to shave it off for a day. He used a beard-growing spell to replace his shorn growth after twenty-four hours.

The second prediction was that a dragon would come to Hogwarts and walk through the halls unimpeded. Sybil was absolutely sure this wouldn't occur, but then Draco Malfoy paid Jasmine a visit, and as everyone knows, Draco means Dragon.

Andreas' third and final prediction was that lightning would strike the North Tower. Sybil waited for this prediction to come true all week long. On Friday, the tower still hadn't been struck by lightning and the skies were clear. So it seems Mr. Mbutu would not be getting perfect marks after all. This pleased Sybil to no end. She was asleep in her bed when at exactly one minute to midnight, lightning struck the Tower, causing the witch to scream and tumble to the floor, spilling the open bottle of sherry on her nightstand on her way down. On Monday she grudgingly returned his parchment of predictions to him with perfect marks.

It was then she was determined to learn the rituals that were the source of Andreas Mbutu's divination powers. But the boy was uncooperative. Sybil figured the young wizard was told to keep his secrets, but she was determined to force them out of him. Today he had openly defied her, so she took points from him and assigned him detention. And this was only the beginning. Andreas Mbutu would tell her what she wanted to know or spend every evening in detention for the rest of the year. She was through being "Miss Nice Witch."

Sybil took another large swig of sherry and sat down on the side of her netted four-poster bed, scowling as she thought of the gifted African wizard. She was so upset she could hear her heart just pounding. She sat there a moment before she realized that the drumming sound she heard was not her heart. It was from an outside source. The beat sounded…well African. She sat up straight as the beat grew louder. What the hell was going on?

Sybil stood up and began to drunkenly walk through her private rooms, trying to locate where the drumming was coming from, her eyes wide behind her huge glasses, shifting from side to side.

"Come out!" she cried, pulling out her wand and aiming it haphazardly around the room. Suddenly a great flame appeared with a whoosh before her, startling her so she stumbled back and flipped over the low divan in her living room. Glasses askew, she gripped the small sofa and pulled herself up, staring at the great flame floating before her, the drumming decreasing in volume.

Trembling the witch asked, "Who are you? Is this a visitation?"

Suddenly the sounds of animals, along with terrible moans and groans filled her rooms.

"SYBIL TRELAWNEY! YOU HAVE ANGERED THE SPIRITS OF MBUTU!" a hollow voice boomed at the witch, who blanched and screamed as a great roaring lion leaped out of the flames at her. She fell over again, tangled in her scarves. The witch frantically crawled away on her hands and knees, then stood up and without looking back ran into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Sybil stared at it, panting.

"Oh my gods," she whispered, holding her heart.

"SYBIL TRELAWNEY! YOU HAVE ANGERED THE SPIRITS OF MBUTU!"

Sybil spun to see the same flame burning in front of her…this time a hideous face in front of it, staring at her. She knew this must be one of the spirits Andreas used in his divinations. It was coming after her.

"O great spirit, I am so sorry!" she cried, falling to her knees in front of the spirit. Horrible moans and groans sounded again, then a terrible roar followed. Sybil shrieked in terror, hiding her eyes. What the hell had she done?

"Forgive me!" she cried, clasping her hands together and shaking them at the spirit in supplication. "I didn't mean to anger the spirits. I only wanted to contact you and ask for your help, like you help Andreas."

The spirit looked down at the witch for several moments.

"I SEE YOU ARE A TRUE BELIEVER, SYBIL TRELAWNEY. BUT IT TAKES A YEAR OF PREPARATION BEFORE SUCH POWERS CAN BE GRANTED…AND THERE ARE RITUALS AND CONDITIONS."

"I'm willing to do anything. Anything!" she cried up at the spirit.

"FIRST YOU MUST UNDO ALL THE EVIL YOU HAVE DONE TO ANDREAS MBUTU…"

"Yes! Yes I will do that O great spirit!" Sybil replied eagerly.

"AND YOU MUST GIVE HIM A GREAT GIFT TO SHOW YOU ARE TRULY REPENTANT FOR DISTURBING AND ANGERING HIS SPIRITS."

Sybil thought about this.

"I'll award him five hundred points and give him extra credit marks at the end of each semester. I promise!" Sybil said. Suddenly magic swirled around her as her oath took hold.

"AND YOU WILL NO LONGER SINGLE HIM OUT IN CLASS BUT TREAT HIM AS ANY OTHER STUDENT. YOU WILL NOT ATTRACT ATTENTION TO HIS GIFTS ANY LONGER."

"No. No I won't. Andreas' gifts will be kept secret," Sybil said.

"AND YOU WILL GIVE HIM NO WEEKEND ASSIGNMENTS," the spirit intoned.

"Not a single one," Sybil agreed.

The spirit looked down on her, then suddenly the lion reappeared, leaping at her and roaring. Sybil fell back screaming, her hands flung up protectively, her glasses twisted around on her face. It grew quiet and slowly the witch fixed her glasses on her nose and looked up. Only the flame remained.

Then another hollow voice sounded, different from the first.

"SYBIL TRELAWNEY, YOU MUST PERFORM A RITUAL ONCE A MONTH FOR A YEAR DURING THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE FULL MOON IN THE FORBIDDEN FOREST! YOU WILL ANOINT YOUR BODY WITH DRAGON DUNG AND DANCE AROUND A BONFIRE DRESSED IN NOTHING BUT A GARLAND OF CUT GARLIC CHANTING THE FOLLOWING MAGIC WORDS: "SAERDNA DNA SAIHTAM" FOR THREE HOURS. AFTER TWELVE MONTHS YOU WILL RECEIVE A GREAT WISDOM. REVEAL THIS TO NO ONE OR YOUR POWERS WILL BE FORFEIT! THE SPIRITS HAVE SPOKEN!"

Sybil repeated the magic words over and over until she felt she had them.

"Oh, thank you great spirits of Mbutu!" she cried, prostrating herself before the fire.

It faded and disappeared.

* * *

Andreas and Mathias almost pissed themselves they were laughing so hard, Mathias on the bed helplessly clutching his stomach and Andreas rolling around on the floor. 

"I…I can't breathe!" he gasped, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Me…me either," Mathias panted. He couldn't remember ever laughing so hard in all his life.

Finally, Andreas was able to pull himself over the edge of the bed, and stared at Mathias grinning broadly.

"Dragon dung? Cut garlic? And was does 'Saerdna dna Saihtam"' mean?" he asked the wizard. Mathias was the one who told Sybil what she had to do.

"It's 'Andreas and Mathias' spelled backwards. She'll figure it out eventually, I think. After about a year, when her powers never manifest," the little wizard said, smirking.

Andreas laughed and shook his head.

"You're wicked, Mathias. Very, very wicked. It will be all right for me, because I will be out of her class…but you have to take divination your third year," the wizard said.

Mathias shook his head.

"It's an elective. I don't have to take it. My mum might still want me to, even though she bailed out of Trelawney's class her third year. She's weird that way. If she does, I'm sure I can still get out of it, even if I have to get my father to help me," Mathias said. "I don't think he likes Professor Trelawney much. He practically ran from her one evening when she showed up in the dungeon corridor. He looked really upset."

There was a knock on Andreas' door.

"Who is it?" Andreas said, scowling. He never had visitors. A male voice answered.

"A parchment was delivered for you," the student said.

"Slide it under the door," Andreas replied.

A thin, folded parchment appeared under the door. Mathias rolled off the bed, retrieved it and gave it to Andreas, who unfolded it. A great sweeping script met their eyes. Both wizards read what it said:

**Your week's worth of detention has been rescinded and your house points restored.**

Mathias and Andreas looked at each other for a moment, then gave each other a high five, smiling broadly. Both boys sat back down on the bed, Mathias picking up the Trelawney doll and looking at it.

"You know, we make a good team, Andreas," Mathias said to him.

Andreas nodded.

"We are both black-eyed. We are like brothers," the wizard replied.

"Brothers…" Mathias repeated, looking at Andreas. If he did have a brother, he'd like him to be just like Andreas.

Andreas put back everything, and Mathias transformed the drum back into a statue and set it back on the shelf. Then Andreas took out the parcel that had been delivered to him, and unwrapped it, Mathias looking on with interest. Andreas reached in and pulled out something wrapped tightly in a plastic bag.

"What is that?" Mathias asked him as Andreas opened the plastic bag, put his broad nose in it and breathed deeply. He pulled back with a smile.

"Iboga root, also known as Black Bugbane root. I will use this to make the drink that will take you on your journey. That is, if you still want to go," Andreas said, a sober look in his dark eyes.

Mathias looked at the root.

"What does it do?" Mathias asked him, his brow furrowed.

Andreas rewrapped the root and put it back in the box, closing it. He looked at Mathias seriously.

"You are very intelligent, Mathias. I will not give you the drink until you know for yourself what the Iboga root does. You will have to find out on your own, then come and tell me. While you research it, you will also be able to decide if you truly want to take this journey to see the Dark Soul of the World and find out how you are connected," Andreas said.

"I was nine when I took my journey, very young, but my powers were strong so it was decided I had to go. You are also strong, it is better you know now. Most whites know nothing of this connection…it goes deeper than blood. It is spirit. When you come back from your journey, if you are scarred as I am…we will be brothers and I will die for you if need be."

Both wizards looked at each other intensely, black eyes to black eyes

"And if I die for you, Mathias Snape," Andreas said in a low voice, "we will be connected even in death. It is a great responsibility and not to be taken lightly. Go and find out, then come back and let me know your decision."

Andreas walked to his door and opened it. Mathias followed him and stepped through into the hallway.

"All right. I will look it up," Mathias said, "then I'll let you know."

Andreas nodded.

Mathias turned to go.

"Mathias," Andreas said.

Mathias turned back to him.

"It would be good to have a brother in this place," the wizard said.

It was Mathias' turn to nod.

The wizard started walking up the hall. Andreas watched him until he turned, then closed the door.

"Everyone has a destiny," the wizard said to himself, staring at the package on his bed, "although some destinies are greater than others."

Andreas walked over to his bed, took the parcel off of it and slid it underneath. Then he climbed in and lay down on his back, staring at the ceiling.

"And the destiny of some of us is simply to serve another's," he whispered, his eyes unfocusing.

* * *

Mathias descended the stairs from the boys' dormitory and was met by Jasmine. 

"How is Andreas?" she asked him, looking very concerned.

"He's all right. Just some teacher trouble, but it's taken care of now," Mathias said, walking past her. Jasmine followed him.

"That's good," she said shortly, catching up.

Mathias headed for the common room corridor. Jasmine stopped when she saw him enter it.

"Where are you going now?" she asked him, trying not to look petulant. She wanted to spend a little more time with him. He had wasted so much of it seeing about Andreas.

"To see my father. I'll talk to you later, Jasmine," Mathias said, walking up the corridor toward the Head of House office.

"Bye," Jasmine called after him, her face darkening slightly. He always had something to do.

Frowning, Jasmine walked over to the study table and sat down. She had been studying Potions. She looked at the book a moment, then her eyebrows went up. Mathias liked to study alone…but what if he saw she was having problems in Potions? He might try to help her. Now that was an idea.

She tore up the summary she was working on and began a new one.

* * *

Severus was sitting in his office, stroking his chin and dealing with an enormous erection. His mind kept going back to his night with Hermione. It had been quite satisfying as was the morning after. He managed to fuck the witch one more time before he left, relieving his morning hard-on. It had been years since he had done that. The Potions Master was hoping he could see her again next weekend. The witch was addictive, and for all intents and purposes…his. No one else would touch her. 

Mathias arrived outside his office and looked in at his father. The pale wizard had quite a faraway look in his glittering eyes. Mathias cleared his throat and Severus looked at him, a slight scowl on his face.

"Yes, Mr. Snape?" he asked the boy.

Mathias tentatively stepped into his office.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you, Professor?" he inquired.

Severus studied him for a moment.

"School business or personal?" he asked the young wizard.

"Personal sir," Mathias replied.

Severus considered this.

"Five minutes. Sit, Mathias," the Potions Master said, switching to his son's given name as he did when they talked of personal matters.

The visitor chair in Severus' Head of House office was much more comfortable, being that it hosted the bottoms of his Slytherins. It was cushioned and sturdy, unlike the rickety chair in his Potions office. His favoritism knew no bounds. Mathias took a seat.

"I want to know if you went to the Ministry like you said you would," Mathias asked the wizard directly. Severus frowned at him.

"I would not say I was going to do something and not do it, Mathias. Your mother and myself have completed the name change. Your name is now Mathias John Snape. It is official," Severus replied, noting the smile that lit up his son's face. He appeared to be quite happy about this. Still…

"Now that you have my surname, I expect you to act accordingly. Do not bring any more disgrace upon it. I've done quite an adequate job myself in that regard," Severus said quietly.

Mathias looked at him.

"I am going to bring honor to it. You'll see," the little wizard replied. His face was determined. "I am going to do great things. Things that mean something."

Severus studied him.

"As long as you do these "great things" because they should be done. Not for self-glory and public fame, Mathias. You do not want to end up another show-off Potter," the Professor said, his large nose wrinkling with distaste.

"No sir," Mathias replied, wondering why his father disliked Harry so much.

He didn't think he should ask him. Perhaps he'd ask his mum next time he saw her. Speaking of his mum…

"I didn't see you yesterday evening Professor. You didn't open up your office last night like you usually do," Mathias said diplomatically.

Severus looked at him steadily.

"I was otherwise engaged, Mathias," he replied, knowing the boy was fishing.

"Were you in the castle?" the boy asked innocently.

Severus looked at him.

"No, I was not," Severus replied, "I went to have a word with your mother."

Mathias smiled again. He couldn't help himself. Severus kept his face carefully neutral at his son's obvious approval.

"Was it a good word?" Mathias asked.

"Yes," Severus replied, the image of Hermione orgasming in his arms filling his head for a moment. "Quite a good word."

There was something in the Professor's eyes that made Mathias' heart leap a little.

"What did you talk about?" Mathias pressed.

Severus scowled at him.

"Mathias, you are much too inquisitive. What I discussed with your mother is not your concern," the wizard snapped at him.

"It is if you've decided to be her boyfriend," Mathias said a bit argumentively. "That would affect me too. It would change the family…er…dynamic."

Severus raised both eyebrows at the boy. Family dynamic? He was eleven years old…what did he know about family dynamics? The wizard shook his head slightly, thinking once again Mathias was definitely his mother's child.

"Let's just say, Mathias, that your mother and I have come to an understanding. You may, on occasion see me at your home," the Professor replied evenly.

Mathias grinned.

"In the mornings?" he asked hopefully.

Mathias knew if the Professor was there in the mornings then it meant he would have spent the night in his mother's bed. And if he did that, he would most certainly be her boyfriend.

Severus cocked his head at the boy.

"Would you like to see me at your house in the mornings, Mathias?" Severus asked him, knowing the boy knew what it meant if a wizard slept with his mother.

"Better you than Mr. Forall," the boy replied.

Severus smirked.

"I imagine there may be some mornings you will see me over the coming summer months," the wizard replied.

It was all Mathias could do to keep from letting out a whoop of victory. His mother and father were an item. That was just the way it should be.

"That's great, Professor," Mathias beamed at him.

"You think so, Mathias? Most students wouldn't like to see me leaving their mum's room in the morning," Severus said to him, frowning slightly.

Mathias shook his head slightly.

"That's most students. I'm not just a student, I'm your son. And I know mum will be happy to have someone smart like she is, and she won't be by herself," the boy stated seriously. "And I think you will be happy too. Mum is very nice."

"Yes, she is," Severus said, thinking about Hermione blowing him for the first time. "Quite nice."

The wizard looked at his watch.

"Five minutes are up, Mr. Snape," the Potions Master said, reverting to school address. "Good evening."

Mathias stood up, smiling.

"Good evening sir," he replied.

The young wizard exited the room.

Severus watched him go, shaking his head slightly. The boy certainly believed in going directly to the source.

Not a bad trait at all.

* * *

Two days later while in Potions class, Professor Snape was handing out the summaries he had assigned two days before. He stopped in front of Jasmine Malfoy, handing her the parchment. It was covered in red marks. 

"Miss Malfoy, this was the worst summary in the class. Did your brain shut down?" he asked her. Jasmine reddened.

"No sir, I was just having some problems trying to absorb the text. It…it just wouldn't come together," she replied.

"Well, I suggest you 'get it together' Miss Malfoy or your marks in this class will drop significantly," the Potions Master said, moving on to the next student.

Jasmine dropped her head.

Mathias looked at her. Jasmine was having trouble with Potions? He watched as the witch quietly began to cry, tears rolling down her cheeks. His father had embarrassed her, as he embarrassed everyone that did poorly.

Jasmine truly was crying. She had purposely fudged her summary so Professor Snape would target her, and Mathias would feel sorry for her. But the Professor had embarrassed her, and Jasmine Malfoy wasn't used to being publicly humiliated. Still it was all part of the larger plan. Suddenly a note landed on her desk. Whoever had tossed it took a great risk. Severus seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Luckily, they must have been closed because he didn't see the note passed.

Carefully watching the Professor, Jasmine opened the note. It was from Mathias and read:

Jasmine sniffed and looked over at Mathias, who was looking at her somberly. She gave him a small, tremulous smile. He nodded at her as if to say, "It's going to be all right."

Jasmine turned back to the front of the class, a wicked little smirk on her face.

She was in.

* * *

As soon as Potions was out, Mathias made a beeline for the library. He walked up to the desk. A bespectacled Madam Pince, who was busily stamping books, looked over her cat-glasses at him, the chain swaying slightly. She smiled at the pale little wizard. 

"What can I do for you Mr.…Gr…er... Snape?" she asked him, correcting her address.

"Good afternoon, Madame Pince," Mathias said politely, "I need to look up the properties of a plant or root. It's called 'Iboga'"

The librarian looked at him, then nodded toward the catalogue file.

"You do know how to use the catalogue system, Mr. Snape?" she asked him.

Mathias nodded.

"Then I suggest you utilize it. Your mother was quite gifted in research. I imagine you have a bit of her talent at it," the witch said smiling. "I only help those who can't help themselves. Otherwise I wouldn't get anything done. Go along now."

Mathias thanked the witch and headed over to the catalogue, found the I - J file and pulled it open. He leafed through the cards, but couldn't find anything on 'Iboga'. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then moved to the reference section of the catalogue. He found a book titled "Daniel McGrub's Comprehensive Guide to Rare Herbs and Roots."

Mathias wrote down the reference number, then combed the reference section until he located the book. It was huge. He carried the tome to an empty table, then drew up a chair and sat down, his brow wrinkled as he thumbed through the pages. He soon found the entry he was looking for. He began reading.

**_Tabernanthe Iboga root and root bark come from Central Africa and is a divine plant native to the Central African rainforest. This is one of the few members of the Apocynaceae family used as a medicine. It is the yellowish root that contains the active alkaloids; the root bark is shaved and eaten directly or as a powder drank in an infusion._**

**_The Tabernathe iboga plant is central to the Bwiti religion. Cult Shamans use the Iboga Root Bark to seek information from the spiritual world. One goal of the Iboga initiation is the removal of the "energy blockages" that have accumulated since birth, allowing the initiate to be reborn as a free man or woman._**

**_Tabernathe iboga ingestion takes you back in time - back through your life, back through the life of Man, back through the life of the Universe. How far you need to go depends on the reason you are consuming the plant. How far you can go depends on you and how much you take._**

**_Iboga visions are multi-sensual, affecting all five senses. T. Iboga also leads some to an encounter with what we call God. _**

**_Low doses lead to light flashes, sensory enhancement and make it difficult to move. _**

**_Medium doses lead to light flashes, sensory enhancement, problems moving, insight into personal past events._**

**_High doses lead to light flashes, sensory enhancement, problems moving, insight into personal past events and encounters with archetypal structures deeper in the stream of consciousness. _**

**_Effects vary according to the context and reason for ingestion. Individual factors cause variance in experience and the intensity of the Iboga journey._**

**_There is no lethal dose. Some Initiates ingest up to several hundred grams, but it is absolutely not recommended outside of an Initiatory context._**

Mathias read and re-read the passage, committing the facts about the plant to memory, and particularly what the level of dosage would do. He assumed Andreas would make the drink quite strong since he needed to contact the Dark Soul of the World. From the text he understood that what he would experience would be based on why he was taking the potion. Since he was taking it to find out the strength of his connection to the Dark Soul, logically that would be where his journey would lead him. The fact that there was no lethal dose of Iboga was a welcome one.

It sounded as if taking the journey would be a cool experience…an experience Mathias wanted very much. He would do it.

He closed the book and returned it to its place on the shelf, thanked Madame Pince and exited the library.

He was going to find Andreas.

* * *

Andreas had just finished trouncing a seventh-year at wizard's chess when Mathias found him in the common room. Broken, shuddering chess pieces lay all over the board before they magically repaired themselves and returned to their squares, ready for the next battle. Andreas gave up his seat the moment he saw the look in Mathias' eyes. 

"You've researched the Iboga root?" he asked the wizard as they mounted the stairs.

"Yes," Mathias said.

As they arrived on the landing, Andreas turned to walk toward his room, but Mathias walked straight to his own private room this time. Andreas hesitated. He had never been to Mathias' or any other student's room…but this was Mathias. Mathias was his friend. He followed him and watched as Mathias unwarded his door. He had very intricate wards on it and Andreas watched with interest the skill the young wizard exhibited as he took them down. Mathias opened the door and with his wand, raised the torches.

Andreas looked around, his thick eyebrows raised. Mathias had no extras in his room. He had his bed, his dresser, his wardrobe, his writing desk, two wooden chairs and a bookshelf filled with books. There were no pictures on the wall, no rugs on the floor. Nothing. Almost the complete opposite of Andreas' lavishly furnished room.

"Do you have something against luxury, Mathias?" Andreas asked, running his fingers over the blank stone wall.

"No," Mathias said. "I just don't like a lot of extras."

Andreas smirked. That was an understatement.

"I see," he said shortly. "So tell me what you've learned about the Iboga root and its effects."

The two sat in the wooden chairs and Mathias told him what he'd learned about the Iboga root, its history and its effects. Andreas asked him a few questions, then seemed satisfied.

"You aren't frightened?" he asked the wizard.

Mathias looked at the wizard evenly.

"Of course I feel a little fear. I am going into something unknown, something I don't understand. I know what is supposed to happen, but I don't know what will happen until I experience it," the little wizard said.

Andreas let out a big sigh of relief. Mathias arched an eyebrow at him.

"Why did you do that?" Mathias asked him.

Andreas leveled his eyes at the young wizard.

"Because if you had said you weren't afraid, you could not have gone on the journey. Fear is a good and wise thing. Even the most courageous men have fears. What makes them courageous is that they face those fears. Only a fool would not be afraid. Fools cannot enter the presence of the Dark Soul of the World. It will take them," Andreas said soberly.

Mathias was glad he was honest with Andreas. For a moment he had thought to say he wasn't afraid. But he was…only a little. He was more excited than afraid. Yet there was a little fear. Good thing he admitted it, or Andreas would not have agreed to let him take the journey.

"Very well, you will take your journey on the weekend. I have already cut up the root and prepared it in the manner of my people. We are not Bwiti, but have used Iboga for many thousands of years. This Saturday you will come to my rooms. Do not eat the night before. Your belly must be empty. Wear nothing under your robes but your boxers. When you come, we will go together to the place you will rest when you take your journey," Andreas said.

"Where will that be?" Mathias asked him.

"The Room of Requirement," Andreas replied.

* * *

Jasmine Malfoy was on cloud nine as Mathias sat next to her in the common and explained the latest chapter they had to summarize for Potions class. Her blue eyes were focused on his face as he talked. She noted he had a lot of the physical expressions and movements his father did, and punctuated his comments with "Is that clear to you?" or "Did you get that?" just as Severus did. She nodded enthusiastically. When he finished, Jasmine looked at him with distinctly admiring eyes. 

"Mathias, you make everything so clear!" she gushed, "You would make a marvelous teacher."

Mathias blushed slightly at the pretty witch's praise, then toughened up.

"Well, if I am so good at it, that means you will get a decent mark on this summary," he said gruffly.

Andreas had come down and sat in an armchair adjacent to the table Jasmine and Mathias occupied. He was reading, his black eyes occasionally shifting towards the witch and wizard. He wore a small smirk. Jasmine was quite good at sucking up. Well, Mathias would have to learn about the witch the way all wizards learned about witches. Trial and error. That was the natural way of things after all.

If Mathias completed his journey successfully, Jasmine would have to truly change in order to reach the wizard. After all, Mathias would be able to see her deception by her aura once he learned to control the sight and identify the proper colors surrounding an individual. Andreas would help him with that. He would help him with many things. It was important that the young wizard be prepared. It was more important that he be kept from the lure of the Dark Soul's power. Mathias was ambitious, and ambition had destroyed many a fine wizard.

Andreas studied Mathias, wondering what would challenge him during his journey? What would the Dark Soul use to test him? It had sent charging lions at Andreas, who stood his ground and commanded them to halt. He had no other recourse, he had no weapons and felt it would be useless to flee.

All thirteen lions continued to charge, snarling and roaring, stopping only when they were upon him, dropping to the barren ground and rolling to their backs in submission at his feet. He also saw many of his ancestors, and other beings that could have never been on the earth. Some spoke to him kindly, others threatened him, but they didn't touch him because he refused to be cowed.

Andreas couldn't tell Mathias any of these things, or even how to react. It was his journey, meant to test his mettle, strength and wisdom. There would be another test, a physical one so compelling it would be a great temptation. Andreas almost failed when the Dark Soul made that particular offer of early knowledge. The desire to acquire that knowledge was so strong it was almost painful, and seemed to take hold of the wizard's body and soul. It took all of Andreas' strength to walk away from it. He hoped Mathias would be able to do the same.

This weekend would tell.

* * *

Early Saturday morning Mathias arrived at Andreas' room. He was about to knock when the door suddenly opened. A very sober-eyed Andreas stepped out. He had a sack in his hand, which he quickly placed in his robes pocket. The wizard looked Mathias over. 

"You didn't eat did you?" Andreas asked him.

"No. The last time I ate was at supper last night," Matthias replied.

"Good. I don't want to have to clean up vomit while you are journeying," Andreas said, starting to walk up the hall.

Mathias followed him, catching up quickly. It was about eight o'clock in the morning and there were students in the common room getting ready for breakfast. Jasmine was there, waiting for Mathias, and unfortunately Andreas…his shadow.

Mathias caught sight of her first.

"Oh gods, there's Jasmine. She's expecting us to go to breakfast with her. If we say we are doing something else, she's going to want to tag along. Or worse, she will sneak and follow us," Mathias said.

Andreas scowled for a moment, then brightened.

"We will walk her down to breakfast, then I will say I've forgotten something and you will pretend to accompany me back," the wizard said, "Most likely she will go into breakfast, expecting us to return."

"She's going to be mad if we don't" Mathias said, looking at the witch.

Andreas smirked.

"If she is, she will control it," he said confidently, "Remember, she is trying to 'change.'"

That was true. Jasmine hadn't lost her temper in a while now. They would come up with something to explain their absence.

"How long will my journey take?" Mathias asked Andreas as they slowly walked down the stairs.

"About six hours, though it will not seem that long to you. Time is different when you journey," the wizard replied.

They walked into the common room. Jasmine walked up to them.

"Good morning Mathias. Andreas," she said, smiling at the wizards.

Andreas gave her a courtly little bow.

"Good morning Jasmine," he said courteously.

"Hi Jasmine," Mathias said, "Ready for breakfast?"

"Yes," she said, falling into step with them, "I'm starving. But I can't eat much. I'm on a diet."

Mathias looked her over. Jasmine wasn't at all fat.

"But you're not fat. Why are you on a diet?" he asked her.

"Moral support for Christina Wallsfort. She is fat. All of us witches are dieting with her so she can lose weight," Jasmine replied.

Mathias looked at her, surprised. Jasmine was acting nice, but he never thought she would deny herself anything for the sake of another person. Mathias didn't know however she was the one who told Christina she was too big in the first place. Dieting with the witch and making the other witches do it was simply because she was controlling all of them. It was a power thing, not a niceness thing.

"That's really nice of you, Jasmine," Mathias said, sounding impressed.

Jasmine shrugged.

"I'm just supportive that way," she replied as they entered the dungeon corridor.

On the other side of Mathias, Andreas rolled his eyes. He always kept Mathias between him and Jasmine. As sweet as the witch was trying to act, he knew she didn't like him and would take offense, at least internally, if he walked beside her. He was fine with that. Getting close to Jasmine Malfoy was not at the top of his list of things to do.

They turned into the main hall and walked to the Great Hall. Andreas pulled the door open and Jasmine walked through. Then he made his move.

"Oh damn, I forgot something in my room," he said frowning, "I've got to go back."

Jasmine looked at him.

"All right, me and Mathias will save a seat for you," she said, about to catch Mathias by his arm.

"I'll go with you, Andreas. We'll be right back, Jasmine. Save both of us a seat," the wizard said to the witch, who fought back a scowl as Mathias walked back toward Andreas.

"All right," she said sweetly, her face turning black as she stalked up the aisle towards the Slytherin table. Mathias looked after her.

"She may not have gotten mad, but she sure walks it," Mathias said as Andreas let the door close.

"Let's hurry before she decides to come look for us," Andreas said, hurrying toward the main stairwell. Mathias was right with him.

The two wizards took the shifting stairwells up to the floor that held the Room of Requirement.

"You know how to cast an illusion, don't you Mathias?" Andreas asked him. He hadn't yet learned that spell in Charms.

"Yes," Mathias replied.

"How long can you make it last?" Andreas asked him.

"As long as it needs to," Mathias said.

"Good. You are going to have to make an illusion of the castle wall to hide the door to the Room of Requirement. Someone may come to use it. If they don't see it, they may think it has moved to another part of the castle," Andreas said.

Mathias nodded. It was a good idea. They couldn't afford anyone walking in on them. Mathias had a feeling they would both be expelled.

They approached the wall where the door to the ROR was supposed to be located. The two wizards stood in front of it expectantly. Two minutes passed.

"Where is it?" Mathias said.

"Probably preparing the room for us," Andreas said. He looked at Mathias with a wry grin. "Patience, Mathias Snape. Your journey will soon be at hand."

As soon as Andreas uttered those words, the door appeared. Andreas gripped the handle.

"Make the illusion, Mathias. Make it for eight hours. We only need six but it is better to go over than under," the wizard said.

Mathias nodded and pulled out his wand. He made a number of intricate motions to set the duration of the spell, then cast the illusion with his signature so it couldn't be removed. The wall seemed seamless, Andreas' hand sunk into the stone as he held the handle to the door. He pulled it open.

"Enter quickly," Andreas hissed.

Mathias shot through, and Andreas followed, closing the door tightly behind them.

* * *

In the Great Hall, a scowling Severus watched as Jasmine entered alone. Normally she accompanied his son and Andreas to breakfast. The young wizards must have had something else to do judging by the frown on Jasmine's face. She sat down and was immediately surrounded by the other first year witches. All of them were carrying a plate with half a grapefruit on it as they joined her. Gods, were they dieting already? They didn't even have any curves yet. Such vanity. But then again, they were Slytherin witches. Their vanity was for the most part, ingrained. 

Severus was in a very foul, snarky mood. Hermione owled him from the Ministry yesterday to inform him she would be busy this weekend with spellwork she had to complete before Monday. He owled her back informing her she couldn't work in bed, to which she owled him back a one-word message.

_"No."_

Hermione and Severus might be in a monogamous relationship, but she wasn't going to be available whenever he wanted her. Severus wondered if this were some kind of test to see if he would seek out another witch because she wouldn't accommodate him. The wizard then cast a detection spell on himself to see if the witch had surreptiously cast a tracking spell on him. The Potions Master was paranoid that way. No, he was clean.

If Severus was simply randy, he might have been tempted to go get a quick shag as he used to do, but his randiness was focused on Hermione. No other witch would do when he wanted her. The relationship was new, so he hadn't yet fallen into that comfort zone. He needed to claim and reclaim her until she sunk into his psyche.

The Potions Master was quite tempted to drop in on Hermione anyway and see if he could "help out." Maybe he could seduce her during a break. If he couldn't, it still might be interesting to see exactly how she worked. Plus he could stock her medicinal Potions store. Yes, that was the perfect reason to "drop by."

Severus quickly finished his breakfast and hurried to his Potions classroom, stopping off at his private rooms to collect his carryall bag. He then went to his Potions stores and put enough pain and healing potions in the bag to service a small army.

Next he went to his lab and bottled the powerful contraceptive potion he had brewed for the witch. One tablespoon would protect her a full month. It had a built in indicator that appeared as a red flash on her lower belly when it was time for another dose. It was the Potions Master's own formula. He was planning on marketing it soon. He needed to test it on a human subject first, though he was sure it worked. All of the nifflers he tested remained infertile and they bred worse than rabbits. Hermione would make the perfect guinea pig and him, the perfect tester. He placed it in his bag, warded his lab and returned to his bedroom.

Bag in hand, Severus disapparated.

It was time to pay a friendly, platonic little visit to his lover.

* * *

Mathias stared at the Room of Requirement in awe. They appeared to be on a cliff, high above an ocean. It was very warm and humid. The sky above was blue, filled with clouds and crying birds wheeled above the water. They were quite a distance up. Behind them was nothing but jungle. Mathias could hear the surf, smell the water, hear the breeze rustling the trees and feel the moisture in the air. 

"Wow," he breathed, turning to Andreas.

Mathias froze, staring at the wizard. Andreas had removed his robes, revealing that he was wearing what looked like a loincloth made of lion skin. The wizard also wore a necklace strung with fangs. Very long ones. He was barefoot and held the sack in his hand. He rattled the necklace at Mathias, grinning.

"I thought I should dress the part," he said to the wizard, smiling. "Ideally, you would be in a loincloth too, but I didn't think you had one in your wardrobe."

Mathias grinned at him.

"No. I didn't pack it," he replied, looking Andreas' loincloth over. "It looks comfortable."

Andreas tugged on it a little.

"It is. You swing free. Very nice," Andreas replied, reaching into the sack and pulling out a bottle. "This is the Iboga drink. It tastes very, very bad, but you must drink every drop of it, without vomiting it up. Take off your robes and lie in the circle of stones on your back."

Mathias began to unbutton his robes, one eyebrow arched quizzically.

"Circle of stones? What circle of…" he asked, his voice faltering as he saw a circle of white stones with red symbols painted on them. Well it was more oblong than circular. Big enough for him to lie down in.

"Where did that come from?" Mathias asked.

"The Room of Requirement knows everything we need. Most likely the door would not appear for anyone wanting to enter, due to the nature of our business here…but I felt it best to be safe."

Mathias removed his robes, dropping them on the ground next to Andreas' robes, then walked to the circle of stones, lowered himself to the ground and laid on his back. He wore only his black silk boxers just as Andreas instructed. Andreas squatted on his heels beside him, the loincloth dangling between his dark legs. He unstoppered the bottle.

"Lift your head," the wizard said, slipping one hand behind Mathias' head to help him and putting the bottle to his lips.

Mathias had never wanted to gag so much in his life. Dragon dung had to taste better than the Iboga drink…but he swallowed determinedly, not losing a drop as Andreas chanted something in a language he couldn't recognize. When he finished the bottle, Andreas lowered his head to the ground gently.

"Keep your fears, but be brave, Mathias. Be honest. Tell the truth," Andreas said to the wizard, who looked up at him.

Mathias tried to reply, but found he couldn't move his mouth. He couldn't move any part of his body. His eyes shifted wildly as he looked at Andreas.

"Remember the properties of the Iboga root," Andreas said comfortingly. He knew what it was like to be paralyzed by the potion. The fear that washed over the initiate.

Suddenly, everything around Mathias took on a brighter, more vivid coloration. The sky became impossibly blue, the jungle a vibrant green and Andreas' chocolate color intensified. He could smell the ocean as if he was standing on the shore itself, and he could hear small scuttling, like the very feet of insects. The breeze on his skin was like a heavy caress.

"You are going under," Andreas said, his voice sounding rich and hollow. "You are beginning your journey. Close your eyes, Mathias Snape. May all that is good in this world go with you."

Suddenly Mathias' eyelids felt heavy as stones. They closed and immediately all sensation stopped. He was in utter blackness and could sense nothing.

"This is what death must be like," he thought.

Then suddenly he was being pulled backwards, images of his life flashing before his eyes. He was with his mother and Severus in their living room being told he was the Professor's son, then he was naked by the lake, James and his friends laughing at him. Then he was arriving at Hogwarts. Then he was with his mother, with Harry, fighting James, in his mother's lap. Images soared past him, he becoming younger and younger.

Suddenly he was in a strange witch's arms…she was masked and he was screaming, then he was in his mother's arms and she was looking down at him with love. She seemed enormous. Then there was a great pressure around him and suddenly he was in the womb, floating in warmth and comfort. He felt a great sense of peace.

Suddenly he was above the cities of the world, watching them build up and fall apart, to be built up again, each one becoming more primitive than the one before it, the men and women also becoming more primitive. Then the cities stopped and he saw men digging with sticks, fighting among themselves, being devoured by animals and hiding in caves and on mountains.

Then the men disappeared and great animals appeared and disappeared rapidly, seeming to sprout from the soil for an instant then falling back. There were terrible beasts like dragons.

"Dinosaurs," he thought as they rose and fell. Then they too disappeared and now trees burgeoned from the earth and withered away, becoming smaller and different until finally they too winked out and the ground became red and angry, boiling and frothing with magma. Then it all disappeared and he was in darkness again.

He became aware of a redness, a pulsing redness the color of blood spreading all around him. Then a darkness, moving like slow spilling ink in water, began to suffuse it, tendrils stretching outward. It seemed as if he were surrounded by a red sky full of black cloud. Then red ground appeared, a bit darker than the sky, and in the distance several dark mountains sprouted out of the flat plain that stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. There was no curvature in the distance…it just ran straight on. This was not earth.

Mathias felt himself drift downward slowly, his feet hitting solid ground. The little wizard looked down at himself. He was naked. His boxers obviously couldn't make the journey with him. A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and he looked up, staring over the plain. He saw nothing to break the landscape, no trees or even a single stone. Then his eyes rested on the mountains.

If anything was in this place, most likely it would be there. Mathias began to walk quickly in that direction. He had to find the Dark Soul of the World.

Above him, the black cloud rolled ominously, as if with a life of its own.

* * *

Mathias began to jog, running toward the mountains at a good clip. Above him, the black cloud seemed to drop lower, filling the sky behind him. There was no sun here, but the reddish glow was constant. After about twenty minutes, Mathias reached the base of the first mountain. It seemed to jut out of the ground as if something had pushed it through the plain. 

Mathias looked up the side of the mountain. It was made of black, jagged stone. He didn't think anything lived there, so began to walk around the base. After about half an hour he came to an opening between the mountain he was traversing and a neighboring mountain. He walked through the gap, coming out on the other side. He stopped.

The plain continued, bordered by mountains on three sides, forming a kind of cul-de-sac. Standing in this cul-de-sac were at least two hundred black men and young boys, frozen and staring up at the sky. All of them were naked, their eyes open. They looked like statues, but Mathias could tell they were alive because they were breathing. There was no sound except for the occasional rumble of thunder.

The wizard walked through the still forms, looking up at each as he did so. He stopped in front of one young black man who had a pleasant face.

"Hello?" he said to him.

There was no response. Tentatively, Mathias reached out to touch the man's arm, hoping to rouse him. His hand passed right through his flesh. Mathias stared at him. He looked so solid.

_He is on his journey._

Mathias spun as a deep, yet silken voice spoke to him.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Mathias said, looking about.

A low chuckle sounded.

_Show myself? I am everywhere. Look above you._

Mathias looked up. All he could see was the red sky and dark cloud covering the entire plain.

"I don't see anyone," Mathias said.

_That is because I am not anyone. I am everything, Mathias Snape._

Mathias frowned.

"How do you know my name?" he called out, still looking up intently.

Suddenly two small openings formed in the black cloud above him, a single circular patch of cloud in the center of each one. The openings looked very much like eyes. Then the central clouds shifted and looked directly at him. They were eyes.

_I know everything. I am the Dark Soul of the World. You are not a usual journeyer. Your skin is white and you are covered in the stench of Mbutu._

The stench of Mbutu? Suddenly Mathias realized that Andreas was not very popular with the Dark Soul of the World.

_No. He is not popular. He uses my gifts but stands outside my influence. I long to take him._

"I want to know how connected I am to you," Mathias said. His belly was tight with fear as he stared up at the cloud.

_Ah. You are black-eyed. Andreas seeks a brother. No, he seeks something more...something greater. There is great purpose here._

"He says I am connected to you, and have power. I want to use that power," Mathias said.

_Power. Something all flesh craves. Well, I can grant you power if you are worthy, Mathias Snape._

Mathias suddenly noticed he was alone on the plain. The frozen men were gone.

"Where did everyone go?" he asked the Dark Soul.

_You are on your own journey now, frozen in their midst. Each of them is being tested as you will be. There is no need to see them._

Mathias absorbed this. The voice continued.

_You want power? Stretch your hand toward the far mountain and lift it slowly._

Mathias did so. As he raised his hand, a terrible rumble sounded, filling the plain. The mountain before him quivered and shook, then was wrenched from the ground, floating several feet above it. Mathias moved his hand sideways and the mountain floated in the direction his hand moved.

"Wow!" he exclaimed, shaking the mountain up and down. No single wizard could move an entire mountain. The Dark Soul chuckled.

_You like this power? I can let you take it back with you. You will be the most powerful wizard on earth. You will be able to level entire cities without wands or incantations. You could rule, Mathias Snape. I only need you to do one thing to prove your worth…_

Mathias carefully set the mountain back down. It landed with a great crash.

"What do I have to do?" Mathias asked him.

_Thrust your palm out vertically toward that same mountain._

Mathias did so, and there was a great explosion as a portion of the mountain was blown apart.

_You can have the power I showed you and this destructive power as well, if you will do a simple thing._

Suddenly Hermione materialized about fifty feet away from him. She was dressed in her Ministry robes and smiling.

"Mum?" Mathias said, looking at the witch.

_No. It is only a representation of your mother. Use your power to destroy her, and I will give you both abilities._

"No!" Mathias said. He wasn't sure if this was his mum or not, but he wasn't about to destroy her. Not for anything.

_Then how about this one? He abandoned you. You must have some anger._

Hermione disappeared, and a scowling, black-robed Severus took her place. He stared at Mathias.

_Destroy him and all will be yours_.

"No! He's my father. I won't destroy him," Mathias said.

_It is only a representation, Mathias Snape. No true harm will come to him._

"No. I still won't do it," Mathias said.

The boy had a feeling that if he did as the Dark Soul requested, there would be some negative effect. There had to be.

_All right. How about someone not a member of your family?_

Severus disappeared, and in his place, Andreas appeared. He looked very solemn.

"No. Not Andreas either. He's my friend. My only friend besides Jasmine," Mathias said, staring at the black wizard.

_What is friendship to power? Who needs friends when the whole world would be willing to serve you?_

"I think I would rather have a friend," Mathias replied.

A great peal of thunder sounded at this comment, and the red eyes narrowed for a moment.

_Very well…if not a friend…what about an enemy?_

Suddenly Andreas disappeared…and in his place stood James Potter, smirking at Mathias nastily. Mathias felt his stomach clench in anger at the sight of the smug Gryffindor. He'd like to blast James even without the promise of power. Mathias felt a pulse of pleasure from the cloud above him. It seemed to go right through him.

_Hatred. What a wonderful, strengthening emotion. Now him, you could destroy. No true harm would be done. Do it, Mathias Snape. Do it and receive my gifts._

In the Room of Requirement, Andreas was watching the unconscious wizard intently. He saw a shadow pass over him.

"No, Mathias. Whatever he is tempting you with, resist!" Andreas said, his eyes worried.

Mathias wavered. It would be so easy to blast James to bits. But then he thought about Harry and how much he loved his son. Even though this wasn't the real James, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not knowing the anguish it would cause Harry to lose him.

_He is not real. Destroy him!_

"No. I can't…I won't," Mathias said firmly, "I can't stand James, but I wouldn't destroy him."

Suddenly a blast of lightning blasted a crater in the ground right next to Mathias, who jumped away, staring up at the cloud.

_You are weak, Mathias Granger. You have no ambition. I offer you great power, and all you have to do is destroy a mere shell and you refuse me._

Mathias simply shrugged.

"It just doesn't seem right," he said, peering up at the cloud.

_Right and wrong is a mere matter of perception. With such power you would be like a god and able to decide right and wrong for everyone._

"I don't want that. That's too much power. People need to live their own lives," Mathias replied.

There was another great rumble of angry thunder and the eyes snapped shut.

Suddenly, there was great screeching, and Mathias saw several forms running towards him. At first they looked human, but as they drew closer, the young wizard saw they weren't. They were subhuman. One had two faces, both tusked and screaming and was covered in scales. Another had a demonic face and its chest was without flesh, the bloody ribcage showing through. The next was a female, leathery, wrinkled breasts bouning, as it ran toward him on what appeared to be chicken legs. She had a beak where her mouth should be and her head was covered in black and white feathers. And the last creature looked like a dragon in human form, smoke streaming from its scaly nostril, its lower jaw elongated into a muzzle.

They surrounded Mathias, raking at him with long clawed hands, truly horrible.

"Get away from me!" Mathias cried, drawing his arms around himself protectively as they circled him.

"You are unworthy. Death to the unworthy!" the creatures screeched, closing on him.

Mathias thought about what he had learned about the Iboga root.

"You can't kill me! There is no lethal dose of the Iboga root!" he shouted at them.

The creatures faded, but not before the chicken woman raked Mathias on his arm. Blood poured from the wound and it hurt like hell. Maybe he couldn't die here but he could feel. Right now he was feeling pain. He applied pressure to the wound. Above him the red eyes opened again.

_You are a man of logic, Mathias Snape. Your logic can withstand your fear. It is admirable. Because of this, I have another gift for you…one that will bring you great knowledge and great pleasure. All you must do is accept it and indulge yourself._

Suddenly, Jasmine Malfoy appeared before him, smiling.

_You know this witch?_

"Yes, that's Jasmine Malfoy. She's kind of a friend of mine," Mathias replied, looking at the witch. She was dressed in her house robes, her white blonde hair loose around her shoulders. The Dark Soul chuckled.

_Kind of a friend? She is more than that Mathias Granger. She is destined to be the first woman you gain carnal knowledge with._

"Carnal knowledge?" Mathias repeated, looking at Jasmine, whose smile became knowing.

_Sex. She will be the first witch you stick your penis in._

Obviously the Dark Soul had reached into Mathias' mind and found a term he would definitely understand.

Mathias' face screwed up.

"I don't want to do that with Jasmine," he declared as the Dark Soul chuckled again.

_You don't?_

Suddenly, Jasmine aged significantly. She became tall, leggy, gorgeous and naked. She still wore that knowing smile, but her ice-blue eyes looked different. Hungry. Mathias' eyes bulged out of his head.

"That's how Jasmine's going to look when she gets older?" he gasped. He was just a boy, but he knew a beautiful witch when he saw one.

_Yes._

The Dark Soul chuckled again.

Mathias began to feel strange. His perspective shifted a few feet higher. He looked down at himself and gasped. He was tall, lean and muscular. He had a ribbed abdomen and…and was that…pubic hair? He looked himself over. He had the body of an eighteen year old. He was a man. A full-grown man. And his arm was healed.

A large four-poster bed appeared behind Jasmine. As Mathias looked up at her, he felt a strange stirring throughout his body. It was as if he were hungry, but not for food. His black eyes swept over the witch's curves, then he felt dizzy as if his blood was pounding in his veins. He felt himself swelling and looked down to see his penis stretching out. It was enormous. Huge. He looked back at Jasmine who was backing toward the bed. He felt a strong desire to follow her, to touch her. It was as if the witch were magnetized and he was being drawn towards her.

_You can have her now. You feel what men feel toward women. It is strong. You can know what it is like now. You don't have to wait, Mathias Granger…you can go to her. My gift to you. Carnal knowledge._

Jasmine lay down in the bed and spread her legs. Mathias peered at her trying to see what was between them and felt a powerful, aching throb. What would it be like to be inside her? He wanted to know badly. Every part of his body was tugging toward the witch.

"Come here, Mathias," Jasmine purred, running her hands along the silk sheets.

As if hypnotized, Mathias took a step toward the witch. His body felt tight as a spring and he was finding it hard to resist the lovely, naked woman crooking her finger at him invitingly.

_Go to her and learn a great secret, Mathias. Such pleasure awaits you. It is my gift. She is beautiful, is she not?_

"Yessssss," Mathias hissed, realizing he sounded very much like his father. He took another step toward the waiting witch. He was about fifty feet away from her. He was aching to let his hands touch her skin…aching to do more than touch it.

"I'm only eleven. I don't want to do this," he thought desperately as he took another step toward the bed. "I'm too young to do this. That's not Jasmine."

_Go on. You will never have another opportunity to learn this so soon. Take her, Mathias Granger. Learn what secret pleasures there are between men and women._

Mathias was facing the test that almost took Andreas out. He had been shown the witch he would take for the first time and was actually climbing into the bed when he managed to reassert himself and not take what was offered. It was very difficult. He felt everything a grown man would feel toward a woman, when inwardly he was just a child. The Dark Soul believed he wouldn't have the ability to resist his urges. Children rarely did. But Andreas did resist. Now Mathias faced the same temptation, with the same powerful, physical urges.

Mathias took another two steps toward the witch, who began to call him passionately. The sound of her voice seemed to hook into his loins. The wizard hissed and began to walk faster.

In the Room of Requirement, Andreas watched as Mathias got an erection. It was quite large…much larger than it should be for an eleven-year-old. Andreas shook his head.

"Resist, Mathias," he breathed, "Whoever she is, if you shag her, you'll belong to the Dark Soul! Step back! Refuse her!"

Suddenly a large cloth and a bowl of never-melting ice appeared next to Andreas. He looked at it, then at Mathias.

"The room seems to think you need assistance," Andreas said, picking up several cubes of ice and putting them inside the cloth, wrapping it around them and gripping the excess fabric in his fist. "So do I."

He looked at the wizard's tented boxers, then wincing, brought the icy cloth down and rested it on the bulge.

"Sorry Mathias, but it's for your own good," Andreas said, shuddering a little.

* * *

A/N: And that is the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 5." More ahead. 


	6. Daddy Dearest Part 6

**Daddy Dearest Part 6**

In several strides Mathias arrived at the bedside, looking down on Jasmine, who extended both of her arms toward him as she undulated on the bed. Mathias' eyes swept down her body. He knew witches were built like this but it never seemed so…so…inviting. They were just different. But now it was as if he wanted nothing more than to feel Jasmine's arms around him and her body pressed against his.

"You're not Jasmine," he said in a strangled raw voice, "And I'm not a man. I can't do this…it's not right."

"But your body wants to do this," the witch replied. "Join me, Mathias. It will be nice."

Mathias fought against his body's urges, but felt his knees bending as if of their own accord. Above him the Dark Soul boiled victoriously. This one was not strong enough.

Mathias felt his knees hit the mattress.

"No! No!" he protested as one of Jasmine's hands caught his slim waist and pulled at him. His penis was throbbing terribly…it almost hurt.

Suddenly it began to hurt less, and then started to soften. The hungry urge of his body to get at Jasmine began to lessen. Mathias felt control return and pulled back from the witch who screeched at him in anger, her eyes flashing as she attempted to grab his body. Now that looked more like Jasmine. Mathias backed away from the bed.

"I won't do this," he said silkily to the witch. "You are beautiful, and I might feel like a man, and have the body of a man, but I'm not a man. No matter how I feel, this isn't right. If I am going to do this, it will be at the right time. Not now."

Mathias began to walk away from the witch and the bed. A terrible rumbling began as Jasmine started cursing him, which only had the effect of making it easier for Mathias to walk away faster, putting distance between himself and the witch. Thunder began to crash and Mathias looked up. The eyes of the Dark Soul were blood red and narrowed.

_Again, you refuse my gift, Mathias Snape. You are a fool not to take advantage of it.  
_  
"I'd rather wait," Mathias said.

One thing was for certain. Mathias would never look at Jasmine Malfoy the same when he returned to Hogwarts. Not knowing what he knew. He looked back. Jasmine was sitting up in the bed, scowling at him. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the bed and it and the witch disappeared. He felt his perception shift.

He was a boy again. He let out a sigh of relief. He looked up at the cloud that was the Dark Soul.

"Show me how I am connected to you!" he cried to the being. The Dark Soul answered him sullenly.

_I have no choice. Turn around.  
_  
Mathias turned and saw Severus standing directly behind him, his black eyes glittering. He was dressed in his teaching robes. Mathias looked up at him but the Professor didn't speak. He just looked down at him, expressionless. Mathias noticed a motion behind him and stepped around him…his mouth dropping open.

Severus was just the first person in a long line of people. The man behind him was tall, pale and with black eyes and a big nose also. Severus looked a lot like him.

"I am connected. I am your grandfather," the man said, staring at the boy.

Behind him stood another black-eyed man, not quite as tall or pale, but black haired. The nose was large. Mathias moved toward him.

"I am connected. I am your great grandfather," he said, also staring at Mathias. But he had a smile on. Mathias smiled back at him.

Behind him was a black-eyed, black haired woman, not very tall at all. She didn't smile when she looked at Mathias however.

"I am connected. I am your great-great-grandmother," she said in a rather deep voice for a woman.

Mathias walked down the line of his ancestors. They varied in size and shape, the one thing they had in common were black eyes. The hair varied, turning to brown, even blonde, the height alternating between short and tall. There were so many of them. Mathias was coming to the end of the line and his ancestors were becoming darker and darker until they were no longer white. Towards the end of the line they were black, some even darker than Andreas. He reached the end of the line.

A very tall, dark black man looked down at him, his black eyes glittering. He wore nothing at all, and was strongly built. He stared down at Mathias, who had never seen anyone so tall.

"I am the first of your line," he said to the boy in a rich, deep, accented voice, cocking his head at him, "I have no name to give you. I had no name."

"You're black," Mathias said, stating the obvious.

"We are all the same, but different because of where we were in the world," the man replied, looking up at the black cloud above them. Mathias saw with a start that all the other ancestors had disappeared.

"You are beyond the Dark Soul now," he said, "You have found your connection. Our time is short so I must tell you what you need to know. We are the children of Creation and co-creators of our world. There was no hatred, no differences between us. We were all one and could form anything from our thoughts. We were made with power, Mathias. We were perfect. We had no bodies, but were spirit and eternal. We helped make the world."

"Where did we come from?" Mathias asked.

"I only know we were born of Desire. A desire to Experience. A desire to Express and Create. We were individual splinters of Something Greater. We began to form the world and the things of the world. Water and stones first, then plants, then animals. They were wonderful and interacted with the world as we watched them, taking great joy in what was created. Then some of us discovered they could enter these things and for the first time, feel what they felt. Pleasures of the flesh. It was intoxicating. They would enter the stones, the plants and the animals and live within them, then leave their bodies. But the pull was strong and those spirits were weak against the flesh. Eventually some were trapped, unable to leave, and forced into the cycle of the earth, of rebirth. They became like animals in their desires."

The man frowned slightly.

"It was then the Dark Soul began to form, born of our fear and entrapment," he said looking up at the black cloud.

"There were however, those of us who did not fall into the earth, and it was they who created the bodies we have now, bodies that could do what the animals could not. We entered the new bodies and became men of great power. Our purpose was to guide our animalistic brethren who were also transferred into human form in the hope one day they would be released from the flesh. But they retained their animalistic ways as men. Only they were distorted and true evil entered the world as men began to covet women, territory, wealth and power. Especially power. The Dark Soul fed off of this and became powerful, and began to influence men to more evil so as to grow in strength. The Dark Soul of the World is fed by wrongness, weakness and vice. It is forever hungry."

"Those of us who willingly entered human form also over time became slaves to pleasures of the flesh and eventually were diminished…our powers receding as our love of sensation grew, and we too were trapped here. Since then we have been going through the cycles of birth and death, trying to evolve beyond our desires to the state of freedom we once had. This is your path and the path of every human on the earth. The Dark Soul has distorted the truth and many gods were created as foils to the truth, formed from the thoughts of men…because we still have this power."

"The Dark Soul can give you nothing…all power already exists in you. Those who have fallen to its darkness have done so because they believe in its power. It is because they believe in its power that it can manipulate them, even destroy them. Refuse the Dark Soul and claim your own power, Mathias Snape. It will not all manifest because you are of flesh, but a small part of it will, and it will serve and protect you as long as you do not use it for selfish gain. Selfishness thickens the spirit, draws you deeper into the flesh and closer to the Dark Soul. You are on this earth to be free of it, and to free others of darkness as well. That is our purpose. That is your purpose, Mathias Snape. You have found your connection. You can leave this place now."

Mathias started as he felt something break loose inside him and flow through his limbs. His ancestor smiled.

"Go your way, Mathias Snape, and may all that is good in the world follow you," he said, fading.

Mathias found himself on the plain again, the entire sky black with the Dark Soul's anger because he had found the connection. Suddenly Mathias was aware of motion on the ground all around him. The Dark Soul rolled and the red sky appeared again, illuminating the plain. It was covered in large, black snakes, writhing toward the little wizard swiftly, mouths gaping, long fangs glistening. He was surrounded and the snakes closed over the flailing wizard, taking him down.

Mathias had the sensation of being smothered at first. Then, he felt as if the snakes were passing into his body. He could feel them coiling beneath his skin and screamed. But none had bitten him. Presently, the sensation stopped and the boy was alone again. He stood up. It had to have been an illusion. He fell for it again. He scowled up at the Dark Soul and resolutely promised himself not to fall for any more of the being's tricks.

_You will fall to me.  
_  
Mathias looked up at the blackness, and for the first time felt no fear.

"You can't do anything to me. I know what you are now," he said bravely.

Lightning struck all around him, blasting craters in the plain. But the boy didn't move, only stared up at the red eyes rather insolently.

"I'm going to get people away from you," Mathias said.

_There is more evil in the world than good, Mathias Snape. Even now one of mine is taking over your portion of the world. One of mine who doesn't know he is mine. I will become even stronger as men fall to his beliefs. His evil will spread as well as my influence.  
_  
Mathias frowned up at the dark cloud.

"We'll see about that," the boy said. He began to walk back to where he first appeared on the plain.

Thunder crashed.

_DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM ME, MATHIAS SNAPE! I AM NOT DONE WITH YOU!  
_  
"But I'm done with you," Mathias replied, no longer looking up but in the direction of the pass between the mountains.

_You will not escape me. I will destroy you and the Mbutu boy. I will not let you change destiny.  
_  
"Whatever," Mathias said, walking through the path.

Lightning struck the mountains on either side of him and great slabs of stone fell on him, passing right through him. It was all illusion now. Mathias inspected his arm where the creature had struck him. There was no mark. The young wizard suspected that he had felt pain and saw blood only because he believed in the Dark Soul's power.

_I will be with you every moment of every day until you fall to me. I will surround you. I will possess you.  
_  
Mathias didn't respond to the Dark Soul. He walked around the base of the mountain as it raged at him, not responding to its goading, much as he used to do to Jasmine when she went off on one her tangents. It seemed to piss the Dark Soul off as much as it did the witch. Mathias arrived at the place he entered and stood there. Waiting. Suddenly he was lifted from the ground and disappeared, the Dark Soul's angry rumble the last thing he heard as he returned to his body.

* * *

Andreas crouched next to Mathias, still holding the bag of never-ending ice against his loins. His erection had crumpled, but the wizard was taking no chances. He only hoped it had diminished because of the cold, and not because he had received carnal knowledge. If he were one of the Dark Soul's minions, they would be instant enemies. 

Suddenly Mathias drew a deep breath. Andreas leaned forward, looking at the pale wizard's face intently. Mathias opened his eyes, then looked at Andreas. His eyes were clear, there was no inner darkness…and…there was power.

"You made it," Andreas smiled at him.

Mathias nodded, then suddenly pushed up.

"I'm freezing!" he said, his voice cracking. He pushed Andreas' hand and the bag away, his teeth chattering. "I can't feel anything down there!"

Andreas fell back on his hands, grinning.

"I'm sorry, Mathias…but you seemed like you needed some help resisting the Dark Soul," Andreas said.

Mathias looked at him.

"So that's why I went down," Mathias said, looking at the bag, then at Andreas. "I did need help. I almost shagged Jasmine."

Andreas' eyebrows went up.

"You are destined to be with Jasmine for your first time?" he asked Mathias incredulously.

Mathias nodded.

"It seems so. She was beautiful, Andreas. I couldn't keep away from her," he said in a low voice as he remembered how he felt.

Andreas shook his head.

"I don't envy you, Mathias. Jasmine Malfoy? I would rather be rolled in dragon dung and covered in roc feathers," Andreas said, looking at Mathias sympathetically. "That witch is going to be a wizard-eater, mark my words."

Mathias felt himself all over. He felt a little strange. Woozy. Andreas stood up, walked over to his robes and extracted a box. He walked back to the wizard and handed it him. Mathias looked at it. It was a chocolate frog.

"You haven't eaten, and are weak. The sugar will help until we can get to supper," Andreas said.

He stretched out his hand and Mathias took it, letting the wizard help him to his feet. As he gripped Andreas' hand, energy seemed to pass between them. Andreas smiled as he looked at Mathias' chest.

"You have indeed been in the presence of the Dark Soul," the wizard said reverently. "We are brothers now."

Mathias looked down at his chest. There was a pattern of scars leading from his lower belly to the middle of his chest. It was obvious they were scars, but what was more obvious was what they formed. A partially coiled serpent in the striking position, fangs extended. It was huge.

Mathias looked down at it.

"My mum's going to kill me when she sees this," he breathed as Andreas looked at him. "I didn't know it would be so big. You just have claw marks."

"I was attacked by lions. Obviously snakes came after you," Andreas said. "Did you manage to stop them?"

"No, they climbed all over me, then felt like they went inside me," Mathias said.

"Did this happen before you met your ancestor or after?" Andreas asked, a worried look on his face.

"After," Mathias said.

Andreas looked relieved.

"Then your ancestor sent the snakes. It is a blessing. What did the Dark Soul send after you?" Andreas asked.

"Monsters," Mathias said with a little shudder, eating his chocolate frog. "I made them go away."

"Was the Dark Soul angry?" Andreas asked him.

"Furious. I gave it the silent treatment," Mathias responded, picking up his robe and sliding it on.

Andreas did the same as the Room of Requirement reverted to a plain, featureless room.

They walked toward the exit.

"That is good. You beat it," Andreas said, his hand on the door. He stopped and looked at Mathias.

"You have the power now. I don't know how much you have or how much will develop, so when we go back into the castle, I want you to remain calm and NOT react, no matter what you see. Understand me? This is important. We do not want to draw attention to you," the wizard said soberly.

Mathias stared at him.

"What am I going to see?" he asked Andreas.

The wizard shook his head.

"Maybe nothing. This is just a precaution," he replied, remembering his own experience after returning from his journey. But he was around people who knew what he had gone through and his reaction was expected. Mathias' journey was a secret. He couldn't react.

"All right. I'll stay in control," Mathias replied, steeling himself.

Andreas opened the door and both wizards walked into the corridor. Mathias saw nothing out of the ordinary. Andreas didn't expect him to.

They hadn't come in contact with another human being yet.

* * *

Hermione was in her basement lab testing a newly developed spell that converted fire into water. It would be a great help to the Magical Fire Department. The firewizards had been using water from their wands to put out fires up to this point and this particular spell had been worked on for years without success. Finally a young Spells Master, Ichabod Creely figured out how to do the transmutation. 

Ichabod had a background in muggle Physical Science and initially approached the problem from a scientific standpoint rather than a magical one, focusing on the components of water, oxygen and hydrogen…two highly flammable substances when separated. After trial and error, he found a magical way to reverse the burning process and bring together hydrogen and oxygen atoms to form water. It was quite an accomplishment.

Hermione used a steel drum to contain the fire, then applied Ichabod's spell to quench the flames, turning them to water. She was checking for feasibility and ease of use. If the spell were too complicated for the average wizard, it would be useless. In that case Hermione would have to try and further adapt the spell, though the credit would still go to Ichabod.

Fortunately, the young wizard had taken ease of use into consideration and there were only four wand motions, and a simple incantation necessary to get the desired result. The spell was airtight, and the witch was quite pleased to be able to sign off on such a useful incantation. She put her wand in her pocket and walked over to her desk to fill out the final parchments when she heard a knock on the door. She had set up a spell to amplify the front door since she could not normally hear it from her basement lab. When the knock sounded, Hermione looked up the stairs in exasperation.

"Who can that be?" she griped as she walked up the stairs to answer the door. Imagine her surprise when she saw Severus standing on the doorstep, bag in hand. She frowned at him.

"Severus! What are you doing here? I told you I had work to do," she scolded.

The Potions Master let his eyes drift over her.

"I am here because I have potions which I want to stock your medicinal stores with, if you don't mind. This is purely a platonic visit. But I can go if that's what you want," Severus said, starting to turn.

Hermione felt a bit bad that she assumed Severus had ulterior motives. Which he did, of course.

"No…wait," she said.

Severus halted.

"Please come in, Severus," she said, looking apologetic.

Severus stared at Hermione a moment, then swept by her, entering the house. He walked into the living room, put his bag down and waited for her to follow. When the witch entered the living room, Severus looked her over. Hermione was dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt and a white lab coat covered in soot, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She smelled strongly of smoke.

"Been barbecuing?" Severus asked her, his nose wrinkling up, "or perhaps smoking meats?"

Hermione frowned at him, placing her hands on her hips.

"No, I've been testing a transmutation spell that converts fire to water," she replied.

Both of Severus' eyebrows went up.

"The Ministry has been working on that spell unsuccessfully for years. They've finally cracked it?" he asked with interest.

"Yes, a young Spells Master approached it using a combination of muggle science and magic. He nailed it," Hermione replied smiling. "His name is Ichabod Creely and he's only twenty-five years old. He's a very talented pureblood. I think he's going to go far."

Severus nodded.

"May I see the spell in action?" he asked her.

"Well, I was just about to sign off on it, but if you are really interested Severus, I can show it to you," she replied walking toward the basement door.

The Potions Master followed her down the basement. He really was interested and that would be a handy spell to know. Being Hermione's lover obviously had other perks besides access to her body. If he played his cards right, he could get new spells before the general public.

They entered the basement lab. Basically it was just a huge white space, encircled by shelving, with a desk in the corner and a long table opposite it. A large chalkboard hung on the far wall. There were a number of arrow symbols written on it, presumably wand motions and a few other squiggly lines, possibly representing the flow of magic. Since Hermione worked on spells she needed space rather than equipment.

In the center of the room was a steel drum filled with water. Hermione walked up to it and cleared it out, filling it with flammable material. She stepped back a bit then cast an incendiary spell and fire and smoke blazed out of the drum.

Severus watched her carefully as she cast the new spell. Suddenly, the fire seemed to slow, then burn in reverse, smoke and flames turning in on itself. Suddenly the whole conflagration turned into liquid and dropped into the steel drum, filling it to the brim. However the burnt material still floated in the water…so it did not restore the burnt matter, only stopped the burning. Still, quite a wonderful spell.

"It seems young Mr. Creely is going to be receiving some very good residuals," Severus said, walking up to the drum and examining the contents.

"Yes, he will. Not that he needs it. His parents are quite wealthy," Hermione said.

"Still, it is rewarding to earn your own way," the Professor replied, "Will you show me how to do the spell?"

Hermione hesitated a moment, then nodded. Severus frowned a bit at the hesitation.

"If you don't want to show me, Hermione…just say so," he snarked at her.

Hermione scowled at him.

"For your information, Mr. Paranoid, I was simply going over the proper wand movements in my head," she said evenly. "If I didn't want to show you the spell, I would have no problem at all telling you so."

Severus narrowed his eyes at Hermione, thinking a good, hard shag up against the wall of her lab would take a little of the bass out of her voice. Hermione shuddered a little at the way he looked at her.

"Take out your wand," she said, attempting to break the tension.

Severus was not a wizard who liked to be ordered about, but he drew his wand out, his black eyes glittering at the witch. He'd remember her obstinacy. Oh yes he would.

Hermione told him what the intent of the spell was, the incantation, then showed him the proper wand motions. Severus caught on quite quickly. Then she reset the drum and started a fire. She was interested to see just how adept the Potions Master was at spellcasting. Most had to do it several times before they got it right.

Severus focused on the flames for a moment, then made the proper wand passes and said the incantation. The fire fell with a splash into the drum. Hermione's mouth dropped open. Even she had failed to cast the spell properly the first four times she tried.

Severus smirked at her.

"I had a choice between two magical fields of study I could have pursued, Hermione. Potions and Spells Making. I chose Potions instead of silly wand waving," he purred.

Hermione managed to close her mouth.

"But with that kind skill, Severus, you could have been an outstanding Spells Master," Hermione replied.

"Yes, and all my skill would have been utilized by the Dark Lord," he replied darkly. "I can only imagine the horrors he would have made me create. At least with Potions I can only affect a small amount of individuals. If I had been a Spells Master in the service of Voldemort, thousands would have died because of my spellwork…"

Suddenly the Potions Master's eyes took on a pained look.

"It is because of me thousands have died and are still dying. It is my elixir that keeps the Dark Lord alive and powerful. It is my work that enables him to continue his evil," the wizard said.

Hermione walked up to him.

"Severus, you created that elixir when you were still under his influence, before you realized what he was…before you joined the Order," Hermione said, hoping to comfort the wizard. "Now you do your best against him…"

Severus looked at her, his eyes hard.

"I've accomplished nothing," he spat. "I've changed nothing. He is more powerful now than ever before. He is taking over the wizarding world right under the Order's nose, Hermione. My spying means next to nothing now."

"Severus, your information saved thousands of lives over the years. Don't say you haven't accomplished anything, because you have. You have suffered greatly to do what you could to quell Voldemort's wickedness for over thirty years. It has been your life's work. Don't make your sacrifices into something worthless. It isn't true," she said looking up at the wizard. "You've made a difference, Severus."

Severus looked down at her.

"You really believe that?" he asked her a bit hoarsely.

"Yes, I do," she said softly, "Despite what anyone believes about you Severus, no matter how dark and treacherous you are perceived as being, you would give up your own life to destroy Voldemort. I know that."

Severus looked at her.

"Do you believe the reason I would kill him is because I am noble, Hermione?" he asked her, his eyes glittering.

Hermione couldn't answer that question.

"I don't know," she replied.

Severus smirked a little.

"I am glad to see that you have no such romantic notions about my motives. Voldemort deserves to die for all the death and destruction he has caused, and continues to cause. Yet if I were to kill him, it would not be in judgment for this. It would simply be because I hate him. I hate him with every fiber of my being. I am enslaved to him, and live as a discontent slave who longs for freedom. Because of Voldemort my life has been one of constant pain and torture. There are mental tortures as well as physical, Hermione. I am tormented more than you or anyone knows. Because of the Dark Lord I serve two masters, though one is decidedly more benign," the wizard said.

"Albus," Hermione breathed.

"Yes. Albus is just as demanding as Voldemort in his way…but if I had my choice of masters, he would be the better choice. Yet, killing Voldemort would free me from him as well. Even servitude for goodness is still servitude. I long for freedom, witch," he said, moving closer to Hermione. He brought one pale hand to her cheek, caressing it softly.

"For now, Hermione…you are the only one who gives me freedom when you let me take you," Severus breathed his dark eyes meeting hers.

Hermione felt herself sway towards the wizard. Severus smirked and stepped away from her.

"But today, you have work to do. I will remain incarcerated until you have time to let me 'turn the key' as it were," he purred. "Right now I am going to go stock your medicinal potions cabinet. I want to be sure you have…everything you need."

Hermione gave the wizard a smirk now.

"You mean everything I need after a round or two with you," she said.

"Precisely," he replied, arching an eyebrow at her, "and after that I will depart."

Severus began walking up the stairs. Hermione walked to the base of the steps and looked at his retreating back. She realized she didn't want the wizard to go now that he was here. He had shared a part of himself with her, a part of his true feelings and motivations. He was trying to let her understand him. Attempting to open up. Hermione didn't believe the wizard did that often with anyone. The fact that he had just did it with her, moved Hermione very much.

"Severus, you were right," she called after him. He stopped midway on the steps, turned and looked down at the witch.

"Right about what?" he inquired.

Hermione flushed a little.

"That I can't work in bed," she said softly.

This time both of the wizard's eyebrows rose. Was this an invitation to spend the night with the witch? The slight heat in Hermione's eyes confirmed it was. Still, it was his turn to play hard to get. He turned and continued up the stairs.

Hermione hesitated, then said "Stay Severus. There are books, magazines, plenty of food in the cooler…and I still have that bottle of wine you brought to Christmas dinner. You could occupy yourself until I'm done down here."

"So you want me to stay the night, witch?" Severus asked her from the top landing.

"Yes," she replied, feeling wanton as she admitted it.

Severus actually gave her a smile.

"Good thing I brought my toothbrush," he said, then disappeared into the house.

Hermione scowled after him, then shook her head.

She'd been had by the Potions Master. He planned to stay the night the entire time.

Somehow, she didn't mind a bit.

Suddenly, Hermione felt very strange…as if something were taken out of her. She caught hold of the banister, feeling woozy.

Mathias' face appeared in front of her.

"Mum?" he said looking at her disbelievingly. Then he was gone and she felt all right again.

Was that a vision? Hermione didn't know. She had an uncomfortable feeling as if Mathias was in danger. She quickly ascended the stairs, and walked into the living room just in time to see Severus grasp the back of the armchair to keep from buckling. He looked disoriented for a moment. Then he straightened, and massaged his forehead.

"Severus, are you all right?" she asked him, entering the living room.

He looked at her.

"Yes, I'm fine," he responded.

He wasn't about to tell her that he saw Mathias' face floating in front of him. She'd think he was mad.

"Did you see Mathias this morning?" she asked him.

Severus looked at her. Why was she asking about Mathias at this moment, almost the precise moment the boy appeared to him?

"Yes I did, at breakfast. He was with his friend Andreas Mbutu and Jasmine Malfoy. Jasmine came into the Great Hall for breakfast, but the boys didn't," he replied.

"They didn't? Why didn't they?" Hermione demanded to know scowling.

"Most likely they had something else planned," the wizard responded.

"Something like what?" Hermione wanted to know, as if Severus could tell her what Mathias and Andreas were up to.

"Hermione, they are students. For all I know they were off to study or take a walk around the grounds. Anything. I had no reason to think they were up to anything illicit. I don't trail Mathias or any student," he said evenly.

Hermione looked at him. He was right of course. Just because Mathias didn't go to breakfast didn't mean he was up to no good. But Hermione remembered the kind of things she, Harry and Ron were up to when they disappeared together.

"I…I just got a vision of Mathias looking at me as if he didn't believe he was seeing me," she said quietly, "I don't usually believe in visions but this seemed so real," she said.

Severus looked at her a moment.

"Perhaps I will go back to Hogwarts and check on him, and come back later," he said.

"Would you, Severus? I might be being a bit overprotective…" Hermione said.

"No, it's fine Hermione," the wizard said, starting for the door. Both of them having a vision of Mathias had to be more than a coincidence. Something was happening with the boy.

"Severus?" Hermione called him. The wizard stopped as the witch walked up to him. She stood on her tiptoes, put her arms around his neck and pulled him down a bit. She kissed him gently on the lips.

"Thank you," she said softly

Severus studied her face for a moment.

"He's my son too," he responded as she released him.

The Potions Master left quickly.

Hermione heard the crack of apparation as he disapparated for Hogwarts. Severus was turning out to be a quite responsible father.

She never would have believed it if she weren't seeing it with her own eyes. He left without a moment's hesitation. She didn't believe the wizard was trying to score points with her.

But he had anyway.

* * *

Severus apparated to his bedroom in his private quarters then headed to Slytherin house. He found Jasmine and asked her if she had seen Mathias. 

"He and Andreas ditched out on me this morning, Professor," she said scowling slightly. "I've looked for them all over but can't find them anywhere. I think they're up to something," the witch added helpfully. "Andreas is very sneaky. He could be leading Mathias down the wrong road, sir."

"Thank you, Miss Malfoy, for your astute observations" Severus said a bit sarcastically, well aware that the witch was jealous of his son's relationship with the second-year, as well as her prejudice.

Jasmine beamed at him, thinking he had taken her warning to heart and might separate Mathias and Andreas.

"You're very welcome, sir," she beamed as Severus walked up the stairs to the boys' dorm and private rooms.

Personally, Severus thought Andreas showed some admirable qualities. He was very slow to anger, and handled adversity well. He also kept his marks up and his record clean, though the Potions Master knew there was some reason the boy was sorted into Slytherin. More than likely, his clean record was proof of how cunning and resourceful Andreas really was. Plus the boy had abilities no other wizard at Hogwarts did, student or faculty. He had no qualms about Mathias being Andreas' friend. Severus had a feeling his son was a lot like him. He didn't make friends easily.

Severus walked to Mathias' room and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. Still there was no answer. The Potions Master decided to look around his son's room. Maybe there would be a clue as to where he was. He took out his wand and tried to enter with a simple 'alohamora' and found the door was warded. He began to take down the wards but found they were quite powerful. Extremely powerful. He gave up after several minutes. Clearly the boy put his signature on the wards. It would take Severus all day to take them down.

He returned to the common room and exited Slytherin house. He then went to the Great Hall. Lunch was about to be served, but neither Andreas nor Mathias were present. Severus then went to the library and asked Madame Pince if she had seen Mathias. She answered in the negative. She didn't think to tell Severus he had been in the library earlier that week, researching Iboga root. Good thing for Mathias she didn't. Severus would have put two and two together. He was aware some African tribes used the root to take spiritual journeys. He thanked the witch and left the library.

The Potions Master went outside and checked the Quidditch Pitch, down by the lake and even into the Forbidden Forest. He couldn't find Mathias anywhere. Scowling, the Potions Master headed back towards the castle. Suddenly, he felt strange again, as if a part of him was suddenly taken away. Again he saw Mathias' face looking up at him. The boy didn't look to be in any distress, then he walked out of his line of vision.

Severus blinked several times. He felt normal again. The Potions Master began striding towards the castle. There was one place he hadn't checked. The Room of Requirement.

* * *

Mathias and Andreas took the shifting stairwell down to the main hall. Mathias suddenly started as he looked down at the ground floor. His eyes grew wide. 

"Andreas, there are blazing lights moving through the castle," he said in a low voice.

Indeed, large, multicolored lights were…well, seemed to be walking around.

"Those aren't lights, Mathias. Those are students. You are seeing their auras," Andreas said, halting their descent. "They probably are completely covered so you can't see who they are."

"No, I can't," Mathias said.

Suddenly a very bright red light entered the main hall from the dungeon corridor. It stopped.

"Uh oh," Andreas breathed, "It's Jasmine and she sees us. She looks very mad."

"She looks like a bonfire," Mathias said.

"Listen to me, Mathias. You have to will yourself to see Jasmine before we get down there. Focus on making the aura grow dim," Andreas directed. "Imagine it fading."

Mathias concentrated.

"Mathias Snape, where have you been?" Jasmine called up to them, "Your father's been looking for you everywhere and so have I. Come down here!"

Jasmine's aura flared as she said this.

"Wow, she's really angry," Mathias said. "Good thing it's just an aura. If it were really fire she'd burn down Hogwarts."

"That is Jasmine's aura most of the time," Andreas said, "Even when she is at peace there is always a bit of anger present. She is never not angry. Now, is the aura dimming?"

Mathias could see Jasmine's form now in the midst of the flame.

"Yes," he said, concentrating more.

"Well, you'd better concentrate harder. Your father will be here soon," Andreas said.

Mathias had excellent powers of concentration, and Andreas' comment boosted them substantially. Jasmine suddenly came into full view, scowling up at them prettily. Mathias felt his stomach jump as he looked at her and remembered how beautiful she became when she grew up. And she was supposed to be the first one he…he…

"Did you do it?" Andreas hissed at him as he saw the wizard's eyes glaze over.

"Yes, yes I can see her. I can see everybody," Mathias said.

Andreas almost slumped in relief.

"Ok. Good. Now what will we tell her and your father?" Andreas asked as they slowly started down the stairs again.

Mathias thought about it.

"We can tell them we were in the Room of Requirement practicing spells," Mathias replied. "Jasmine will be mad that she wasn't invited, but that's all right. My father knows I am advanced in spells and wouldn't want anyone else to see what I can do, so he will accept that, I hope."

"It sounds good," Andreas said as they walked down the main staircase toward Jasmine, who stood there with her hands on her hips.

"Where have you two been? I looked everywhere for you," she said, looking at them suspiciously. She noticed Mathias was looking at her a bit oddly.

"We were practicing spells in the Room of Requirement," Andreas replied.

Jasmine didn't look as if she believed them.

"All day?" she said accusingly.

"I was teaching Andreas a couple of spells. That takes time," Mathias responded, still staring at Jasmine.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked him, wiping at her face. "Is there a bogey hanging out of my nose or something?"

"No…I was just…just looking at you," he replied lamely.

"Well stop it. You are giving me the creeping fugwugs," she said. "Anyway, your father is looking for you. You better let him know what you two were up to," she said bossily. "And I don't appreciate you ditching me. You could have just told me you had something to do. I would have been fine with it."

Jasmine stormed away.

Andreas looked at Mathias.

"You don't believe that do you?" he asked the pale wizard.

"Not a bit," Mathias replied as the main doors opened and Severus strode in. He saw Mathias and Andreas standing in the main hall and walked over to them.

"Where have you been, Mathias?" he asked his son.

"In the Room of Requirement, practicing spells sir," he replied, Andreas nodding in confirmation.

Severus' black eyes moved from one boy to the other. They both looked all right and Mathias didn't drop his eyes once or shift them like his mother did when she lied. Of course, the boy could take after him and be a consummate liar. The Potions Master didn't want to invade the boy's mind. He was fine, and entitled to go off on his own after all.

"Why were you looking for me, Professor?" Mathias inquired.

Severus thought quickly.

"To ask you if you wanted to watch me brew Wednesday evening," the wizard lied. He didn't want Mathias thinking he was checking up on him.

Mathias' entire face lit up.

"Yes sir," he said enthusiastically.

"Very well, Wednesday night it is then. And bring a quill and some parchments to take notes," Severus said to the beaming boy. "Good day Mr. Snape and Mr. Mbutu."

"Good day sir," both wizards said as the Professor strode away and turned down the dungeon hallway.

Both Andreas and Mathias looked at each other with relief. They also headed for the dungeon corridor.

"Your father knew something was happening to you," Andreas said to Mathias as they slowly walked down the hall.

"How do you know that?" Mathias asked.

"His aura. It was worried. He didn't want you to know," the wizard replied as they entered the Slytherin corridor.

Mathias looked at Andreas.

"Why didn't I see your aura, Andreas?" he asked his friend. "Shouldn't I have seen it?"

Andreas smirked.

"My people learn to dampen their auras when they are very young. It is the only way to keep out of trouble with your parents. They can tell when you are lying. I dampened mine so you wouldn't be frightened or shocked when you awoke."

"Can I learn to do that?" Mathias asked.

He didn't know how many people had the ability to see auras, but if they told so much about a person, then he would like to protect his from the eyes of others.

"Possibly," Andreas said, "but first I must teach you how to view auras and what colors go with what emotions and motives. After that, we can work on teaching you to dampen your own."

"Sounds good," Mathias said.

His stomach growled.

"I'm starved," the wizard said, rubbing his stomach.

Andreas smiled at him.

"Come on. I have some pumpkin pasties in my room," the boy said.

Andreas threw his arm around Mathias' shoulder as they walked up the stairs. Mathias grinned. It was the first time someone had done that and it felt…well…real.

"I have to look after my brother's welfare after all," Andreas said, grinning at Mathias.

Mathias grinned back at him as they headed down the corridor to Andreas's room.

Having a brother was going to be great.

* * *

Severus returned to Hermione's house. He knocked once and the door was quickly pulled open. Hermione looked up at him, worry evident in her amber eyes. 

"Is Mathias all right?" she asked Severus, her voice also full of worry.

Severus looked down at her.

"He's fine, Hermione. He and Andreas spent the day working on casting spells in the Room of Requirement. It seems they skived off on one very irate Jasmine Malfoy. 'A Boys Day Out" so to speak," Severus said.

Hermione sighed with relief, then realized Severus was still on the doorstep.

"Come in, Severus" she said, moving out of the way.

Severus strode past her and straight to the living room where he retrieved his bag of potions. He turned and looked at her.

"Did you do any more work while I was gone?" Severus asked the witch, who had followed him into the living room.

"I finished the paperwork for Ichabod's spell, but I couldn't concentrate on the next spell. I was too worried about Mathias," she replied.

Severus stared at the petite witch for a moment.

"As I said, Hermione…Mathias is fine. So you can return to your work," he said, thinking she truly was a caring mother. Mathias was lucky to have her.

Severus also thought Hermione had the ability to smother the boy with over protectiveness as well. No doubt she thought about the devilment she, Harry and Ron used to get into at Hogwarts and wanted to try and keep Mathias from following in her footsteps. Now she saw for herself the kind of worry wizarding children could cause their parents. Life had come full circle. He began walking toward the bedroom.

Hermione watched the Potions Master walk down the hall, hesitated, then followed him. She was still out of sorts about her vision of Mathias and didn't feel like returning to her lab at the moment. Severus entered her bedroom and walked into her bathroom, robes billowing with purpose. The witch grinned at the familiar fluctuation of fabric. Severus still moved like a big cat.

Severus set the bag on the vanity and opened her medicinal stores. He began looking through the potions she had there. He scowled as he picked up one bottle.

"Hermione, this expired five years ago," he said, turning to her, "If you had taken this, you could have been poisoned."

Hermione shrugged.

"I would have read the label first," she said a bit lamely. Hermione rarely threw anything that wasn't completely used up away.

Severus snorted and threw the bottle in the wastebasket. He then beginning pulling out bottle after bottle and discarded them, muttering to himself as he did so. The words "dangerous," "poison," "insane" and "packrat" were some of the words the witch could make out. Finally he finished. There were only five bottles left in the cabinet out of about twenty. He turned back toward her.

"For the length of our association, Hermione…I will be the one to take care of your medicinal stores. Obviously that brilliant mind of yours remains one-track. I will not have you poisoning yourself or our son simply because you do not routinely clean out your stores," he said scowling, his nostrils flared.

He began to stock the cabinet with the bottles he had in his bag.

Hermione felt a little warmth in her belly at Severus' just taking over her medicinal stores. He sounded angry that she had put herself and Mathias at risk. Angry and protective. It seemed he didn't want anything to happen to her or Mathias. She watched him…then scowled at the number of purple potions he was placing in her stores.

"Severus, why is there so much purple potion?" she asked him. She already knew why but felt he at least needed to justify himself. It was...tantalizing.

Severus turned his eyes on her. They were rather hot looking.

"Well, I admit there are more purple potions than stomach soothers and laxatives, but due to our 'understanding' Hermione, I believe that you will need these for a while," he responded as his eyes swept over her.

Even in the sooty lab coat and with dabs of smut on her nose and forehead she looked delicious. Severus felt himself throb a bit, thinking about having the witch again tonight.

Hermione flushed at his reply. Severus was a powerful lover. Clearly he believed it would take some time for her body to adjust to the paces he intended to take it through. The witch felt a gush of lubrication roll down, and did her best not to react visibly. But Severus didn't miss the little flash of desire in the witch's eyes. He smirked and continued to stock her stores.

Finally he closed the cabinet, then took out one more bottle and held it up to her.

"What's that?" she asked him, looking at the bottle curiously.

"A contraceptive that I developed. One dose lasts a month, and when it begins to lose its potency, the witch's lower belly begins to flash red to remind her it is time to take another dose," the wizard replied. "It is almost ready to market."

Hermione's eyes widened. A one-dose monthly contraceptive? That would be such a convenience for sexually active witches. If it worked.

"Almost ready for market?" she repeated, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I have yet to test it on a human subject. I have been successfully testing it on nifflers for over a year with excellent results. Not one was impregnated…and I know you are aware of the rather randy nature of nifflers. It was put through the paces, believe me," he responded, looking at her evenly.

"You want me to test it, Severus?" she asked him incredulously. "Can't you find test subjects?"

He shook his head.

"The field of Potions Making is very, very competitive, Hermione. Test subjects are fine for potions that work instantly. Normally the potion itself is gone from the system after it's done its job. But with a potion such as this, it remains in the tester's blood stream and I am sorry to say that other Potions Masters are unscrupulous enough to woo the tester away and extract it. Then they find out the components and place their own names on it. I've had several elixirs stolen from me that way. Short of beating the offender to a pulp or blasting him this side of Kingdom Come, there is no legal recourse when this happens. Actually it is quite accepted in our field."

"Why, that's terrible," Hermione said.

Severus cocked his head at her.

"Surely there is Spell theft?" he asked her.

"Yes, but it isn't accepted," Hermione replied, "When there is a disagreement on who developed the spell, there is a hearing and both parties have to produce research and give a thorough discourse on the theory behind the spell and how it was created. Most of the time if someone has stolen a spell, they don't have all the background. Then they are disbarred. So Spell theft isn't really that common."

Severus collected his bag and he and Hermione walked back into the living room, still discussing the differences between their fields. The conversation became so interesting that Hermione never did return to her labs and spent the entire afternoon and evening talking, debating and eventually arguing with Severus about all types of things. They moved from the living room into the kitchen, Hermione preparing dinner as they continued talking, while Severus enjoyed the wine he had brought for Christmas dinner and the company.

The Potions Master couldn't remember such a pleasant and intellectually stimulating afternoon. Hermione was brilliant and like a tiger when it came to slashing through arguments. Mathias had been right. They were intellectually matched and that made being with the witch even better. Unlike the witches he was used to, Hermione had a sharp mind and interesting conversation. Severus could stay in her presence and not touch her and still have quite a good time.

Watching Hermione pace back and forth, gesturing, her amber eyes alight with challenge was a beautiful sight to see. She made a rather nice dinner of baked chicken, string beans and rice and gravy as she did so. The wizard noted she didn't use magic at all to prepare the meal and it was delicious. She had pumpkin juice and he had wine with the meal. Afterwards she cleared the table, and washed the dishes still challenging the wizard. They moved back into the living room where Hermione noticed with some surprise it was dark outside.

"Where did the day go?" she asked the wizard, who was looking at her with an amused expression on his face at her surprise.

"You burned it up with your rantings," he replied in a rather mirthful voice.

Severus felt totally relaxed and quite satisfied with his afternoon.

"My rantings?" Hermione said, her eyes flashing, "I was making points, and they were all valid points I might add!"

"Your powers of debate and logic are formidable, Hermione. I have to give you that," Severus replied, "You worry a topic like a dragon chewing on a troll bone. You won't stop until you crack it."

"I just like to be understood," Hermione said, sitting across from him on the sofa. "I'm sorry if I was a bit…well…aggressive, Severus…but I rarely get a chance for discourse about anything remotely intellectual on any subject other than Spells at work. And even then I can't let go completely because some people take offense at having their theories shot down. Interoffice politics."

She sighed sadly.

"I find your aggressiveness stimulating," Severus told her. "With me, Hermione, you can always feel free to 'let go.' On any level," he said silkily.

Hermione had inadvertently made herself even more desirable to the wizard. Severus appreciated intelligence deeply, especially since he didn't run across it that often. It was quite heady to know that he could reduce such a brilliant witch to a babbling, orgasming puddle of lust. He very much wanted to cause that transformation in Hermione now. Right now. He felt himself getting an erection.

Hermione flushed at his "on any level" comment. She had enjoyed his company very much this afternoon. Clearly there was something other than sex they could enjoy about each other. Her son had been right. The Potions Master was a better partner than Justice, simply because they could connect mentally as well as physically. Even if the wizard wasn't a great lover, she thought she would still be attracted because of his mind. But he was an amazing lover, so she wouldn't ever have to test that theory. Plus, she felt quite special. She knew Severus never spent time with anyone like this willingly.

"I enjoyed your company, Severus," she said to the wizard, "I had such a good time talking with you."

The wizard looked at her.

"You sound as if you are finished enjoying my company, Hermione. I assure you, you are not," he replied, rising, his eyes glittering. "The intellectual portion of the day is over, witch. The minds have been fed…but the bodies…"

Severus began to slowly unbutton his robes.

"The bodies hunger," he finished, his pale fingers deftly undoing fastener after fastener, his black eyes locked on the witch.

Earlier, Hermione had caught sight of herself in a mirror, scolded Severus for not telling her she looked like a chimney sweep, then scourgified herself and changed clothes. She was still in jeans and t-shirt however, that being her favorite form of dress when about the house.

"Undress Hermione," he breathed at her.

"Here?" she responded, her body instantly reacting to the command in the wizard's voice. Gods, Severus was so sexy.

"Yes, here," he said silkily, peeling off his robes and placing them on the armchair behind him, "but we will make it to the bedroom…eventually."

Hermione had never had sex anywhere but her bedroom, but as she watched Severus peel off his robes, she decided change could be good. Very good.

The witch stood up and pulled her t-shirt over her head, revealing her very full white cotton bra, her hair falling wildly over her shoulders.

Severus couldn't help letting out a small growl as Hermione's ample curves came into view. He worked on his cuffs quickly, then the buttons of his shirt. Severus didn't simply divesto his clothing or hers because watching the brilliant witch willingly undress for him was very arousing. And that look in her eyes as she did so was all for him.

Severus pulled off his shirt, his pale muscular chest and abdomen now visible to Hermione, whose small hands dropped to the button and zipper of her jeans as her heart started pounding at the sight of the wizard's strong, lean body. She opened them and slid them down. Severus' eyes glittered as her white knickers and thick thighs appeared. He unfastened and slid down his trousers.

His black silk boxers were tented and pointing directly at the witch, who visibly shuddered, then laughed at him because his trousers were around his ankles and he hadn't taken off his boots or socks. He couldn't take them off.

"Blast," Severus hissed, looking at her and then his trapped trousers. He sat down in the armchair on top of his discarded robes and shirt, then tugged off each boot and sock, then removed his trousers. Hermione was only in her underwear now, and had stopped laughing as the wizard stood up, looking at her hungrily.

"You found that funny?" he asked, stalking toward the witch rather menacingly.

"A little," she said, her belly flipping over as Severus approached her.

Hermione couldn't deny it. She had laughed after all. It was funny because the Potions Master was usually so methodical, and to see his lowered trousers trapped over his boots had been hilarious, as well as complimentary. Obviously he was so focused on her that he wasn't thinking properly.

Severus stopped inches from the witch, reached under her arms and around her back, releasing her bra and sliding it down her arms.

"Beautiful," he breathed as he looked at her breasts appreciatively. Hermione blushed because she knew the wizard would not say this if he didn't sincerely mean it.

Severus gripped her waist gently and guided her not to the sofa, but around the side of it, then lifted her, setting her on the back of it. It wasn't very wide.

"Severus, you're supposed to put me on the sofa cushions, not the back of it. I feel like I might fall," she said to him softly.

Severus' response was to kiss her, slipping his tongue into her mouth and exploring it as his large hands caressed her body, sliding over her back and hips, then her thighs before cupping her breasts and flicking his thumbs over her nipples until they hardened to little peaks. Hermione's arms wrapped around his neck as she gave herself over to him, flames licking between her thighs, her knickers completely soaked. He pulled back from her mouth, his eyes locked to hers.

"You are going to fall, witch, just not the way you think," he breathed, pushing her down on to her back and attacking her breasts passionately, Hermione hissed as his warm mouth closed over her nipple and he gripped and massaged her other breast. The witch's hands locked in his hair as her body began to undulate with pleasure.

Severus kissed, suckled and licked her breasts hungrily, and Hermione could hear his breathing grow heavier. The Potions Master dragged his lips up her body and began to lick and suck her neck, his loins pressing between her thighs, grinding against the witch sensually, stimulating her core through her knickers, his hardness driving Hermione wild, her head thrown back to give him more access to her flesh.

"Gods," Hermione gasped as the wizard worked against her.

Severus pressed his lips against her ear and whispered, "Don't call on the gods, Hermione. Call on me…I am your deliverance tonight."

He ground into her hard, and the witch moaned with desire. The front of the wizard's boxers were soaked with her juices and the scent of Hermione's arousal filled the air.

Hermione felt the wizard straighten and move from between her thighs…one hand on her belly, holding her in place as the other tugged at her knickers, slipping them off of her. Then she felt the hand on her belly disappear. She looked up at Severus who suddenly dropped.

"I suggest you do your best to restrain yourself witch," he said as his hands went to her inner thighs, spreading them. "If you wriggle too much…most certainly you will fall since my hands are otherwise occupied."

Hermione felt Severus' pull her downward, then his arms encircle her thighs, spreading them. The witch teetered dangerously for a moment, then she did her best to hold on to the back of the couch.

"As is my mouth," he hissed, and Hermione buckled as his tongue slipped between her thighs, the tip flicking back and forth.

Again she almost slid sideways off the thin back of the sofa, crying out as Severus went to work.

Damn, the wizard was kinky.

* * *

Severus lost himself in the taste, scent, sound and feel of Hermione, claiming the moaning witch with his tongue, teeth and lips, holding her thighs steady as she writhed, calling out his name. The witch began to slide down the sofa, her head hitting the cushion. 

Instead of helping her up, the Potions Master stood and turned her hips so she was inverted over the back of the sofa, swept his hair back, then dove into her again, this time his black eyes locked to her face and twisting body as he did so, drinking in how powerfully Hermione was responding to him. The witch said she didn't like oral sex? No she didn't like it.

She loved it

Seeing how wantonly Hermione reacted to his ministrations, that was the only clear conclusion the dark wizard could come to. Soon, she'd 'come' to it too.

Severus intended to make her explode.

Overcome by the Potions Master's warm mouth on her so intimately, Hermione wasn't sure which end was up, but whichever end it was she didn't want to change the position one bit as pulse after pulse of pleasure shot through her body. The last time this was done to her was eleven years ago, but even the pensieve wasn't this intense. Severus left no part of her anatomy untouched, his tongue licking and probing, his teeth teasing, his mouth suckling and lips caressing as he took his fill of her sweet, wet and luscious core.

Gods. Hermione could barely process what was happening to her. She was upside down and hanging over the back of her living room sofa, being pleasured by the wizard of her fantasies from years ago. A wizard she thought she would hate forever. But he was here now, her lover, taking her without restraint, bringing her to the brink with his tongue. Merlin, the web weaved by the Fates must contain quite a few strands of irony.

Suddenly Hermione cried out as an intense knot of sweetness tightened in her belly

Severus stopped watching the witch as she began to shudder, her thighs trying to crush his head. He drew back for a moment, forcing her legs wider, and dove back in, thrusting his tongue deep inside her, his black hair falling over her belly now.

Severus drank in Hermione's preflow, waiting for the prize, and it wasn't long in coming as the witch shrieked and caught his hair, yanking it painfully as she arched and orgasmed, her hot, sweet release pouring out of her, wetting his entire face.

"Damn," Severus thought as he swallowed her juices down. It was as if the witch popped like a squeezed grape. Not that it was a bad thing.

Hermione writhed, biting her lip against the powerful waves of pleasure washing over her body. It felt as if she were laying in an ocean of bliss, the tide flowing over her.

"Oh my gods, Severus," she panted, bringing her hand to her mouth and biting her finger as the wizard sucked and licked at her furiously, getting every drop he had pulled from her.

The gasping witch was covered in perspiration and the back of the sofa was wet as well as the cushion where her shoulders rested. She began to spiral down, the waves slowing as they continued to pulse through her, though Severus' questing tongue hadn't let up. She could feel the wetness under her and idly thought she'd have to deep clean the sofa. Good thing the wizard had inverted her. Her orgasm would have soaked into the fibers.

Suddenly Hermione buckled as Severus gave her his parting licks, his supple tongue flicking over her clit. Then again, maybe her release wouldn't have made it to the sofa. It didn't seem as if the Potions Master missed a drop of it.

Severus straightened, licking his lips, his black eyes smoldering down at Hermione, still holding her in place. Her hair was spread wildly over the sofa cushion, her amber eyes glazed with passion as she met his gaze

"You are full of ambrosia, witch," he said to her, his voice sounding like raw silk, "Pure ambrosia."

Hermione panted up at her lover. She didn't know what to say to this, so she said nothing. Severus reached down and grasped her arms, pulling her upward so she was sitting on the back of the sofa. He moved between her legs and kissed her. Hermione could taste her musky juices on his lips and tongue. It was an odd taste, not unpleasant. However, the witch found tasting herself on the wizard aroused her. Was this even more proof she was sexually twisted?

Severus pulled back from her mouth and pressed his tented boxers against her.

"Do I need to cast a contraceptive spell on you?" he asked her, a growl in his voice. He wanted in now.

"No. After last weekend I went and got a patch," Hermione said, tapping her thigh so the magical red patch became visible. Then she tapped it again and it disappeared.

Severus tightened his grip on the witch's waist, smirking at her.

"So you knew we would have another encounter so soon then?" he asked her, his eyebrow arching.

Hermione looked at the pale wizard. He had the most amazing, compelling eyes she'd ever seen.

"After our game of hide and seek last week, I figured I'd better get a patch as soon as possible. You're not a wizard that takes 'no' easily Severus. You're capable of anything at anytime. You threatened to take me to my bedroom and ravish me if I didn't play your game," she said softly.

The Potions Master looked at her soberly.

"I would have too. You wanted me. The real me. You needed to be taken, Hermione…and taken properly," he said in a low voice. "Your protestations would have meant nothing to me. Once I was inside you, your song would have changed, believe me."

Then he kissed her again, his tongue scouring every part of her mouth as he did so. Hermione swore her sex started clapping together. She was so ready to be 'taken properly' again by the wizard. Severus moved from her mouth to her throat, sliding his lips over it, suckling gently. Suddenly, he latched on to her neck, using his teeth as well as his lips, sucking and nibbling, marking Hermione's throat as the witch gasped against him. He pulled back to examine his work.

"Nice," he said softly as he examined the large red mark on the witch's neck. "I know giving a witch a hickey is a rather juvenile act…but it gives me pleasure to see it on you. To know I placed it there."

Hermione brought her hand up to her neck, feeling the tenderness of his mark.

"A hickey from Severus Snape," she said, shaking her head slightly. "Who would believe it?"

"Anyone who sees my mark," the wizard replied.

Hermione realized that Severus purposely put that mark on her to be seen. At work, she wore her hair up in a bun. The hickey would be clearly visible.

"Severus! You marked me on purpose. I'm going to have to wear a glamour for the next five days at least!" she said, frowning at him.

"I guess it is rather unseemly that the Assistant Spells Department Head for the Ministry should enter work wearing clear evidence that a very randy wizard was sucking on her neck over the weekend," Severus replied, smirking.

Hermione was about to answer him when there was a knock on the door. Both she and Severus turned their heads at the sound. Severus then looked at her.

"Expecting late company, Hermione?" he asked her, feeling his belly tighten a bit.

Who would be coming to see the witch at this hour? She hadn't wanted him to come this weekend. Did she have someone else she was involved with?

"No," she said, looking perplexed. "I have no idea who that could be."

Severus studied her. No. Hermione wasn't that kind of witch. If she had another lover she wouldn't have been so stuck on the pensieve or so hot for him.

The knock sounded again, heavier this time.

"You'd better let me go, Severus. I need to put on my robe and answer the door. It could be something important," she said to him softly. The wizard helped her down and watched her walk quickly down the hallway, her buttocks shifting invitingly.

He sighed and looked down at his tented boxers. He hoped whoever it was would leave quickly.

The knocking continued as Hermione reappeared, tying her housecoat around her.

"I'm coming," she called walking toward the door, her wand in hand.

Severus moved closer so he could hear who it was, but remained out of sight.

Hermione stopped by the front door.

"Who is it?" she called.

"It's Justice, Hermione. Open up," the Auror said from the other side of the door, swaying slightly.

He had been drinking and got it into his mind that Hermione had to be randy and he might get a little piece from her for old time's sake.

Severus stiffened immediately when he heard the Auror ask to be let in.

Hermione was shocked. What the hell was Justice doing standing outside her door? They were finished.

"What do you want?" she called back at him.

"To see you. Talk to you," he responded, one hand resting on the doorsill expectantly.

"Well, I'm kind of busy right now, Justice. We can talk at work," she said.

"No. I want to talk to you now," he insisted, starting to bang on the door again.

Severus scowled. He knew exactly what Mr. Forall wanted. He was here for sex, probably thinking Hermione had no one to service her and was randy. Well, the wizard was very mistaken. A small growl issued from the Potions Master's throat as his territorial instincts kicked in. Hermione was his now, and in much more capable hands than Mr. Forall's. He walked up to Hermione, who was staring at the door terrified. He was still in his boxers.

"Open the door, Hermione," he said in a low voice, his eyes glittering like diamonds. "Let him see who you are busy with."

"No Severus," she said in a small voice as the pounding on the door continued. It was starting to shudder.

"Open up, Hermione!" Justice said from the other side of the door. "Or I'll open it myself. The hard way."

If the witch had been alone, most likely she would have been forced to hex the inebriated wizard.

Severus stepped behind the door.

"Open it," he hissed at Hermione.

Hermione slowly turned the knob and opened the door. Justice looked down at her.

"Getting ready for bed, Hermione?" he asked pushing his way in.

Justice would never have done this if he were sober. Since breaking up with Hermione he began to drink more and more at the Three Broomsticks. Sure, he had dated a couple of witches, but he saw Hermione every day, and thought about how he used to shag her. He had invested five years in the witch. She should have given him a goodbye tumble at least. In his liquored-up mind, she owed him one.

"Yes…in a manner of speaking," she replied, her eyes shifting toward Severus, whose hands were clenched into fists as he listened.

"You should let me join you," the Auror said, his eyes glittering at the witch. "I know it's been a while for you now. You must be randy. You miss old Justice, don't you?"

Severus stepped from behind the door.

"Not as much as you may think, Mr. Forall," he said silkily, grasping Hermione by her shoulders and pulling her possessively to his side.

Justice stared at the Potions Master. He was dressed only in his boxers and Justice could smell Hermione on him. The Auror's eyes shifted to the witch.

"I see the pensieve wasn't enough. You had to fuck this ugly bastard again. Don't you have any self-respect, Hermione? Is his tool big enough to make you forget eleven years of abandonment?" Justice said to her nastily.

"Things have changed, Justice…it's…it's not like that anymore. He's taken responsibility," Hermione said as Severus scowled at the Auror, trying to decide where he was going to hit him first. Maybe his jaw. It worked once before.

"So that erases eleven years of you raising Mathias by yourself? I don't think so. I think you just relived that pensieve and wanted him to ride you again. That's probably why you dumped me so quickly after meeting him, you fucking cock-hungry who…" the Auror hissed.

He never got a chance to finish the sentence. Hermione screamed as Severus slammed his fist into the wizard's jaw as hard as he could, the side of the Auror's head smashing into the door, knocking him unconscious.

Severus watched Justice slide down the door into a crumpled heap, shaking his hand a bit.

"Oh my gods, Severus. You've killed him," Hermione gasped as she dropped to check to see if the wizard was still breathing. He was.

Severus looked at her.

"If I hadn't been here, Hermione, you would have been forced to do worse than that to Mr. Forall. It was clear to see that he wasn't about to take no for an answer. He felt you owed him a final shag," the wizard said, moving the witch out of the way and grabbing Justice by his arm.

Severus dragged the unconscious Auror away from the door, opened it, then dragged him through, down the walkway, out of Hermione's yard and up the street, where he left him propped up against a neighbor's fence. The wizard briskly walked back to Hermione, who was standing on the doorstep looking horrified. Severus wiped his bare feet on the welcome mat, caught the witch by her shoulders and walked her back into the house, closing and locking the door behind them.

"You're not just going to leave him out there?" Hermione asked him as Severus walked her back into the living room. He strode over to his robes and fished out his wand, then returned to the foyer and securely warded the front door. He then returned to the living room.

"What do you suggest I do, Hermione? Lay him on the sofa and apply a never-melting ice pack? Take him to St. Mungos? Mr. Forall got what he asked for. He was rude and insulting to you. I wasn't going to stand by and let him treat you that way. He's lucky that's all I did to him," the wizard said darkly, pointing his wand at her. "Divesto."

Suddenly, Hermione was naked again. Severus backed her up against the back of the sofa, and lifted her up, setting her down on it. His eyes glinted at her.

"Now, where were we, witch?" he asked silkily, pressing his growing erection tightly between her legs.

"Don't you want me to test your contraceptive potion?" Hermione asked the wizard.

Severus caressed her thighs gently and looked the witch in her eyes.

"Eventually, Hermione. Not tonight," he replied, "You have the patch."

Hermione suspected Severus was hedging because if the potion didn't work on her…that would mean she might conceive another child. Explaining Mathias to the Dark Lord would be a walk around the lake compared to having to explain a second child. It could cost the wizard his life.

Hermione studied his face as the wizard looked at her quizzically. Severus had just knocked a wizard out cold without hesitation for insulting her….

Suddenly, Hermione felt a surge of desire flow through her so strong, she trembled.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" Severus asked her, his dark eyes searching her face.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said in a low voice, her eyes heating up.

Hermione Granger had never initiated a sexual act in her life, but she felt the wizard deserved some appreciation for what he'd done tonight. He defended her honor after all…that deserved a reward. She thought she knew what Severus would like, even though she wasn't very good at it…yet. Hermione pushed him back gently, but the wizard grabbed hold of both her knees, scowling as she jumped down from the back of the sofa. She was ruining the position.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, frowning at the witch.

Hermione couldn't say what it was she wanted to do. It was too hard to tell the wizard she wanted to wrap her mouth around him. It sounded too dirty…though she wanted to do it. So, she improvised.

"I think my knight in shining amour's lance deserves a little polishing," she responded, giving him a wry little grin, "though I'm not an expert polisher."

Hermione quickly dropped to her knees so she wouldn't see his reaction to this statement. She was such a coward when it came to her own sexuality.

Both of the Potions Master's eyes widened. Did Hermione just say she wanted to blow him? Merlin.

He looked down at the kneeling witch and throbbed powerfully, his boxers bouncing in Hermione's face. Severus didn't give a damn if she were an expert. The thought of her wanting to do this was almost enough to make him lose it completely.

"I'm sure you'll make it shine, witch," he breathed, gripping the back of the sofa as Hermione tentatively pulled his boxers down, his huge tool bouncing out at her.

The wizard hissed as Hermione's warm mouth closed over him. One of his hands moved to the back of the witch's head, locking in her hair, and Severus tilted his head back, sighing with pleasure as the witch ran her tongue around the swollen head. He hadn't taught her that.

When Hermione heard Severus sigh at the feeling of her tongue, she began to lick and kiss him from tip to end, the wizard leaning forward now, sweeping the witch's hair out of the way so he could watch her full lips and tongue move over his pulsing flesh. He seemed even more enormous as the petite witch kissed and suckled it, the wizard groaning at the sight and sensation of Hermione servicing his tool. Her tongue snaked around and Severus let out a chocked sound that thrilled the witch, and she sucked him into her mouth, making Severus cry out with pleasure.

This was the first time he had done this, and Hermione felt very empowered as the wizard shuddered, locking both hands in her hair helplessly as she sucked and tongued them, before returning to his long, hard shaft. It was so hot and she could feel the veins throbbing against her lips as she covered every inch of his stiff flesh, egged on by the wizard's groans of pleasure.

"Damn witch. Your ability to learn quickly isn't limited to academics," Severus hissed as her mouth closed over his organ again and Hermione began to suck and bob, her small hands encircling his lubricated shaft and working back and forth so he was fully stimulated.

Gods, she felt so good.

Severus began to guide Hermione's head motions, thrusting into her mouth deeper and faster, his eyes closed and mouth slack as he pushed between her lips over and over. He gagged her twice but it didn't register fully as he felt himself begin to tighten. Hermione felt the wizard tensing up even as he began to pump into her mouth faster, a low growl growing in volume as he did so. Suddenly, Severus yanked her into his loins and released with a shout, holding her tight against him as he came.

Hermione felt her mouth fill with his seed and tried to pull back but the wizard held her firmly as he shot jet after jet between her lips, trembling, almost whimpering as he pulsed. Hermione swallowed convulsively, most of his come dribbling out of her mouth and flowing down her chin. It was thick as cream and slightly bitter.

After about a minute, Severus relaxed his hold on her head and withdrew from her mouth, his organ limp and resting against her thigh. Still gasping, he pulled Hermione to her feet, his eyes hot and appreciative as they studied her face and his thick come all over her chin and throat.

"You have got to be the most erotic sight I've ever seen in my life," he breathed at the witch

Severus had witches blow him before, but they all swallowed quite neatly when he came. He had never seen his come on a lovely witch's face until now. He was tempted to spread it over Hermione's skin with his fingertip but restrained himself…this time. He'd have time to be kinky later.

He stepped away from the witch for a moment to retrieve his wand from the endtable on the other side of the sofa, scourgified her, then replaced the wand and returned to her, setting Hermione back on the back of the sofa and kissing her deeply. He could taste himself despite cleansing her. He released her then looked down at his deflated member.

"I'm afraid my lance didn't hold up after all that polishing," he said, "though I can't remember ever receiving such a passionate shine."

Hermione looked at him, her eyes a bit sad. She thought she had made a bad showing

"I didn't do it right," she said in a small voice, her eyes glistening.

"Oh no. That's not true, Hermione. You did it exactly right. I've never been so turned on by a witch, or quite so…satisfied with the aftermath," he said, recalling his come dripping down her chin. "I may have to seek out Mr. Forall and hit him again if this is the kind of reward I can expect from you."

"Severus, you can't go about beating up wizards in my honor for blow jobs," she said, shaking her head.

"When it comes to you, Hermione…I believe I could be capable of anything," the wizard replied, scooping the witch into his arms and carrying her towards the bedroom. The back of the sofa would have to wait for another night.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him as he carried her. Severus felt her shift in his arms and move closer. A rather odd feeling shot through the wizard, but he ignored it.

As they entered the bedroom, Severus said to Hermione, "I'm afraid that due to the rather intense polishing session, my lance won't be ready for jousting for a few minutes, m'lady."

He carried her over to the bed and lay her down in it. Hermione slid over making room for the wizard, who climbed in and lay on his back, his eyes closed and face relaxed.

"I'll wait, knight," the witch said, moving a little closer to him.

Severus slipped his arm under her shoulders and pulled her into him.

"Better," he sighed.

Hermione lay there looking at the scars on the Potions Masters body. The ones on his chest were new, the result of his time with the Dark Lord. The result of his sacrifice to make Mathias acceptable to the despot. She traced a scar with her fingertip, and Severus opened one eye as he felt her touch him. Hermione traced another scar, then another, her eyes blinking rapidly. Severus lay silent as her finger moved over the raised welts. He felt her shift and move over him, the witch's lips replacing her fingertip as she gently kissed each scar.

Severus closed his eyes and swallowed, his Adam's apple moving up and down as the witch kissed his body. She wasn't trying to arouse him however. The Potions Master could feel Hermione's compassion and her sympathy as she tenderly kissed his healed flesh. The wizard had rarely experienced any true compassion in his life, and never had it been expressed so honestly. The witch said nothing as she pressed her mouth to his skin. She didn't have to. He knew what she felt. How she felt.

The Potions Master suddenly felt very blessed to have such a gentle, compassionate woman wanting him. So blessed that his erection came back with a vengeance.

When Severus rolled Hermione to her back and climbed on top of her, the witch was surprised. She had looked up while kissing him and he was so still, she thought he might have drifted off to sleep. Obviously he hadn't.

Severus stared down at the witch.

"Why would you want a snarky, unfeeling bastard like me, Hermione?" he asked her quietly..

"You're not unfeeling," the witch replied. She had no argument about him being either snarky or a bastard.

Severus' mouth quirked slightly at her reply.

Then he said, "I don't remotely deserve you, witch, but I am selfish enough to take you anyway. There is so little beauty…"

The wizard stopped speaking, his voice going hoarse as he tried to continue, but couldn't.

Hermione felt a strong pulse of desire to feel Severus inside her as she looked up at him. She wanted to see his face contorted with pleasure, hear to him whisper passionate, dirty things to her as he plowed into her body like last time. She wanted to be fully possessed by him again, lost to his strength, his fire. Hermione arched her body upward reflexively as the ache inside her grew, wanting to feel Severus' ache relieve her…deliver her.

The wizard hissed, his eyes narrowing.

"I take it you're ready for me witch…or you think you are," Severus breathed at her.

"Yessss," she sighed, "I'm ready for you, Severus. I know I am."

For the second time tonight, Severus felt his belly clench, but not from jealous anger this time…it was because this lovely witch wanted him so badly, so honestly. He could see her need in her eyes, and it wasn't desire for just sex…it was desire for him. Alone. The wizard had very little he could call his own.

Severus scowled as he thought of Justice showing up with the intent of sleeping with Hermione. The Auror had his chance with the witch and had blown it. He'd better not show up again. If he did…

Hermione looked up at the wizard. He seemed a million miles away. His eyes were unfocused.

"Severus?" she said.

Severus suddenly looked at her, his dark eyes becoming darker as he adjusted himself, moving higher on her body, slipping his arms under her thighs and pulling them upward. spreading them. His swollen tool dragged across her flesh before he positioned the head against Hermione's entrance. He looked down at her rather jealously.

"You're mine," Severus hissed, thrusting hard and burying himself within the witch, hungrily parting her flesh with his great girth and length.

The wizard hit her cervix with some power and Hermione shrieked, buckling and shifting around him as the Potions Master filled her to capacity with his hot, hard organ. Gods, he was so deep she couldn't tell where she ended and he began. He felt so good inside her.

The witch gasped loudly as Severus pulled back.

"Oh gods…Severus," she gasped, her eyes glistening from his ache as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Mine," the wizard groaned, slamming into the witch again, her tight, hot sleeve enveloping him, pulsing and welcoming his intrusion. He thrust into her again, the witch letting out a satisfying cry as he did so.

Severus pressed into Hermione hard, his eyes locked to her face. The witch's mouth hung open, and her eyes were wet and glazed as she looked up at him, her need so obvious the word might have well been stamped across her forehead.

Severus lifted his hips high and buried himself between Hermione's thighs again, biting his lip as his flesh slid through her soft heat, her sweet, shuddering cry like music to the wizard's ears.

He stared at Hermione, willing her to give him the response he wanted before he let loose on her…before he took her to the place she wanted to go. To the place they both wanted to go.

"Say it, Hermione. Say you're mine, witch."

Hermione eyes were fixed to Severus' face, their bodies locked together, the wizard pulsing inside her body as he demanded her to admit his claim to her. The witch felt him pull back and drive into her again, repeating his demand, his stroke punctuating his words.

"Tell me, Hermione. Tell me I'll be the only one doing you, witch as long as you remain my lover," he breathed at her.

He drove into her again, the witch crying out.

"Tell me what I need to hear," he breathed down at her, his black hair curtaining his pale, scowling face.

"I'm…I'm…" Hermione gasped as the wizard pulled back again.

"Yours!" Hermione shrieked as he hit her again.

"Yes, and no one will bring you the pleasure I will," he swore, beginning to rhythmically stoke into the witch powerfully, watching her every reaction, listening to her cry out repeatedly as he took her body and her mind.

"Legilimens," he breathed, invading the witch's mind…seeking to know more, to possess her entirely. "Open up to me witch."

Hermione was in no condition to lower her occulmency walls and felt him enter her mind as well as her body

Severus saw Hermione as a student, longing for him. Then the pensieve deflowering. He felt her hatred when she left his office and the occasional recurring flash of hatred she'd felt over the years when she thought of him.

This pained the wizard, and he drove into Hermione wildly, trying to wipe her hatred out of his mind, the witch's nails digging into his back as he rode her, still in the landscape of her mind. He felt her worry when she came to him to discuss Mathias, her hatred giving way to fear that she would lose everything. He felt her desire and guilt when she viewed the pensieve for the first time, felt the reawakening stirring of her desire mixed with guilt and self-recrimination. She loathed herself for wanting him, for reliving that night over and over.

Then she was in the infirmary, looking down on his broken body. Damn, he looked bad. Then he experienced the pulses of lust she felt when in his presence, the urges she tried to fight, the distrust, the fear, the guilt, the uncertainty…then the breaking when he finally took her, everything falling apart around her, the witch's resolve crumbling as he fulfilled her.

"My gods, witch," he breathed down at her in wonder as the incoherent witch bounced under his stroke, and he tried to go even deeper. Her mind was empty now, there was nothing for him to see. Hermione was without thought…or so he believed.

"Legilimens," the witch suddenly gasped and she was drawn into his mind.

Severus stopped for a moment.

"What are you doing, witch?" he gasped, his body jerking as he held it in check.

"I want to see," she whispered, her eyes blazing, "What you went through for us…show me now Severus."

Severus stared at the witch then rolled to the side with Hermione facing him, still embedded deep inside the witch. He started possessing her again, opening up his mind as he pounded into her, finding solace in her body, in her closeness as he relived Voldemort's torture for her and his son.

Hermione cried out, not only from the wizard's ardor, but from horror and empathy as she saw the Potions Master manacled, dangling a foot off the floor, his body swinging helplessly as Voldemort himself ripped the wizard's flesh to ribbons with whips and scourges, pummeled his body with clubs and deatheaters beat him mercilessly with their fists and feet, the females drawing blood from his body with their nails.

"Oh…Severus!" the witch sobbed as the Potions Master took her brutally now, releasing all of his pain and remorse into the witch, pistoning between her thighs, reaming her softness as he found comfort within.

"It was for you and Mathias," he groaned, "Now shhhh. There's no pain now, only pleasure, Hermione."

Severus locked his mouth to hers, completing their merging, tasting the salt of her tears, Hermione's shrieks more like sobs as he took her. They both withdrew mentally at the same time, Severus rolling to his back and wrapping his arms around Hermione, their mouths and bodies still locked as the wizard continued to take her, his loins soaked with the witch's juices.

Hermione kissed him hungrily, aching as the wizard hit bottom over and over, but not shrieking now, or sobbing, just gasping as she took everything he had to give her. It was her penance, though she didn't know what she had done wrong, only that she felt she owed the man driving into her as if the world was about to crumble around him, and she gave him all she could, buckling in his arms and releasing, her body clutching his insatiable organ, crushing it in a velvet fist.

Severus groaned and arched, throwing his head back as Hermione's climax poured out of her, oiling his body, cursing as he fought not to release with her. He wanted to pound the witch until he couldn't move. Already his lower back was protesting, but the rest of him just wasn't listening.

"Yes, Hermione…yes witch. Your body belongs to me…it is my instrument," he breathed against the shuddering witch's ear, her jasmine scented hair draped across his sweaty face, sticking to his skin as he continued stroking her until she reached another orgasm. This time she screamed and tore away from his grip in a burst of strength, sitting up and keening long and loud, then falling straight back, her head resting on the wizard's lower shins, her legs doubled under her.

Damn she was flexible.

Severus sat up and unfolded each of Hermione's legs so they stretched out on either side of him, then grasped her by her waist and continued to pull her over him. Sweat was pouring from his body and the sheets of the bed were soaked. The Potions Master watched her bouncing breasts for a moment, then pulled her to a sitting position so he could kiss and lick their fullness as he felt himself approaching climax.

"You're mine, witch," he breathed at Hermione, who opened her eyes.

Gods, she looked beautiful, her body glistening with sweat, her hair plastered to her head now, her mouth slack, gasping at him, completely lost to him. Oh yes, this was what he wanted. Abandon. Total abandon.

"Repeat it," he demanded, pulling her into him hard, and holding himself as deep in her as he could, fighting the telltale tightening. Wizard and witch faced each other, chests heaving.

"I'm yours, Severus," Hermione breathed.

Severus released, wrapping his arms around the witch and leaning forward, letting out a long, shuddering groan. It was more intense than his first climax and wave after wave of pleasure burst over him as he clutched Hermione tightly, his heart pounding against hers, their bodies quaking against each other. His release was so powerful everything went dark for a moment.

One thing was for sure…shagging this witch took sex to a new level. The Potions Master wasn't sure why, but he was glad of it. He certainly could stay monogamous. He didn't need any other witch to satisfy him other than Hermione. She had proven that to him without a doubt tonight.

He held her for several minutes before falling back to the bed, still clutching her body. Hermione panted against him then started struggling to be released.

"What is it?" he gasped at her as she tried to break away from him.

"Hot. Too hot!" Hermione gasped back, finally breaking free of Severus and rolling off him to the other, drier side of the bed, and turning on her back.

The witch slung her arms out on either side of her and spread her legs, crowding Severus and taking up a very large portion of the bed. She was hot and tired, so tired. Not to mention felt as if she had been impaled on log. A very delicious and satisfying log, but a log nevertheless.

Severus smirked at her. He had done the same thing to other witches after sex. Hermione was giving him a dose of his own elixir. He didn't mind though…he was hot too. Too bad he had left his wand in the living room. A cooling spell would come in handy right now.

The couple lay there side by side, exhausted…neither of them noticing a set of brown eyes observing them through a slight crack in the curtain. It was Justice, and he had witnessed the entire act, from the time the Severus carried Hermione into the bedroom, until the time he released into her body.

Hermione had never ever responded to him that way…kissing his body softly, or shrieking at the top of her lungs as he took her. But then again, Justice had never shagged her as long or as brutally as the Professor. Plus, the Auror didn't have the tool the wizard had. The wizard was enormous. Gods, it was as if the wizard was trying to tear the witch in two. What was worse was that Hermione liked it much more than anything he had ever done to her.

Rubbing his jaw, the wizard backed away from the window. He had seen something no wizard should ever see…another man having sex with a woman that used to belong to him. A woman so passionate, he almost didn't recognize her.

Justice walked out of Hermione's yard and up the street, considering everything he'd seen.

The Potions Master was saying something to Hermione, scowling down at her as he penetrated her slowly, something Justice couldn't hear, and when she answered him, the wizard began to put that huge tool to her hard. Justice hadn't known the witch was so strong. Maybe he would have been a little rougher if he had known that's what she liked.

Hermione never really acted like she liked sex that much. She'd do it, and she'd orgasm but there was something missing. The Auror saw what was missing tonight when he witnessed Severus with her. True passion. It was obvious she had it bad for the wizard, and by the way Severus reacted tonight…he was going to protect his territory. He had given him one good shot.

Justice knew he deserved it. What the fuck was wrong with him? Maybe he needed some kind of treatment for his drinking. He had no business going over to Hermione's house. If Severus hadn't been there, there was no telling what he might have tried to do to the witch. The Auror continued to rub his jaw. At least it wasn't broken, and he had a notoriously hard head.

Justice still scowled. He knew Hermione was probably doing all the things for the wizard that she wouldn't do for him, and it was a blow to his pride. He couldn't understand it. The wizard was so ugly, so dark and cold. Well, no. He wasn't cold in the sack. But still he looked like a fucking vampire. And that nose. Gods. What did he have that attracted Hermione? A monstrous wand, yes. But Hermione hadn't known that initially.

Maybe it was because he was smart. Yes, he could see Hermione creaming herself as the wizard discoursed about Potions. She was very intelligent…far above the Auror's level. But still she'd stayed with him for five years, so there had to be something about him she liked.

Justice stopped under a torchlight on the corner, looking back toward Hermione's house.

Hell, Professor Snape was Mathias' father. That was the connection. The boy probably knew by now and they were trying to form a happy little family unit. Good luck with that shit. Mathias was probably cooking up a poison for the wizard at this very moment. He was a creepy little bastard. Justice always felt a bit of darkness coming off the boy. Considering his father, the Auror could see why. It was in the blood.

Well, he was done with it for good now. The wizard didn't want Hermione back, and she had someone to warm her bed. He didn't have any regrets…except the wizard had punched him in the jaw. Yet, Justice was fair-minded really. He didn't want retribution. He had caused the whole situation. It would be better just to let it go. Maybe apologize to Hermione.

Maybe not.

Justice sighed.

He had better places to be than standing on a street corner thinking about Hermione getting the shit shagged out of her by a wizard she chose over him. This wasn't precisely true, but men (and women too) have a habit of adjusting the reality of a situation to fit their needs.

Justice shook his head ruefully.

Damn. If only he'd known Hermione was such an undercover masochistic freak. The past five years would have been much more interesting sexually.

The wizard rubbed his jaw once more then disapparated.

He'd been through enough for one night.

* * *

When Mathis and Andreas went to supper, Jasmine gave them both the icy shoulder, not that they minded. Still, Mathias was looking at her more than usual because of what happened on the plain of the Dark Soul. She was going to become such a beautiful witch. A witch that he would one day receive carnal knowledge from. Mathias' stomach felt a little funny as he looked at her. 

"It will pass," Andreas said to him, picking up an ear of corn.

Mathias turned away from gazing at Jasmine, who had stuck her tongue out at him and contorted her face when she caught him looking at her.

"What will pass?" he asked the wizard.

"How Jasmine makes you feel. The knowledge of what will happen between you will soon sink to the back of your mind," Andreas said, biting into his corn.

Mathias hoped so. He didn't like Jasmine in the way a wizard likes a witch. He didn't want her for a girlfriend. He didn't want any witch for a girlfriend. As far as he could see, all witches did were take up valuable study time.

Andreas chuckled beside him.

"What's so funny?" Mathias asked.

"You," Andreas answered, shaking his head and finishing his corn.

* * *

Mathias and Andreas had a long talk that night after supper. It was decided that while Andreas taught Mathias how to use his newly awakened powers, Mathias would teach Andreas all he knew about spell casting. That way, both boys would be extremely formidable. Andreas could teach him in their rooms, but the spell casting would have to either be done on the grounds, or in the Room of Requirement. 

"The key word, Mathias, is discretion. Everything you see, you cannot reveal. People must be free to live their lives. You should only try to change situations that directly affect you negatively. Let others go their way. If you don't, you can still fall under the Dark Soul's power…even if you think you are acting for good," Andreas told the wizard soberly.

Mathias looked at him. It would be tempting to control others' lives. But then again, Mathias also felt people should be left alone to live the way they wanted to. That was what he wanted to do.

"Can I see your aura, Andreas?" he asked the wizard.

"I will show you," Andreas replied, "but first you need to understand there are levels of auras. There is an overall aura that contains flashes of all the levels, and that is what you are seeing now. But this aura can be separated into physical, mental, emotional and motivational auras which consist of their own colors."

Mathias nodded, listening closely. This sounded a bit complicated. Andreas continued.

"The physical aura tells you how healthy the body is. The mental aura can show how intelligent a person is. The emotional aura shows the emotional state the person is in, and the motivational aura tells you if a person is doing something for the good or the bad."

"You know all this when you look at people, Andreas?" Mathias asked him curiously.

"Only when I turn it on. It isn't a good thing to know everything about a person. Still, sometimes it bleeds through. So do their thoughts," he replied his black eyes serious.

"You can hear people's thoughts too?" Mathias inquired.

"Sometimes," the wizard responded. And there is magic too. Magic that doesn't require a wand. I will teach you that as well, if I see that is one of your gifts. I hope it is. It is very important that you have such power."

Andreas' face went hard for a moment.

"Why? Why is that important, Andreas?" Mathias asked the wizard.

Andreas looked at him, and his face softened.

"All things in good time, my brother," he responded softly. "Now let me show you my aura. You must concentrate. Imagine me surrounded by shimmering air. Clear. No color. Like heat from a road."

Mathias stared at Andreas. Nothing happened.

"I don't see anything," Mathias said, disheartened.

"Just be easy with it. Look again," Mathias said quietly.

Suddenly the air began to shimmer around the wizard.

"I see it!" Mathias said.

"Good. Now just watch it. It will start to change…to color," Andreas said.

A dark golden color began to surround Andreas. Flashes of brilliant blue and bright yellow appeared and disappeared. A little dark green as well.

"I see it. It's mostly gold," Mathias said. "And some other flashing colors. Blue, yellow and dark green."

Andreas shook his head.

"No, it is not gold, Mathias. It is darker than gold, tarnished because of my nature. I am a Slytherin and have selfish ends just as everyone does in this house. True gold is someone with a pure spirit…a higher spirit. Someone who is selfless. I am not like that," the wizard said. "The blue is my health, the yellow, my intelligence, the dark green, my ambition.

Mathias noticed the gold color became even darker as Andreas said he had selfish ends. The black wizard looked as if he were on fire with the aura roaring around him. Mathias concentrated again, willing himself to see Andreas normally. It worked. Then the wizard wondered about his own aura.

"What color is my aura, Andreas?" the Mathias asked him.

"Yours is gold too, with a lot of yellow and blue. A bit brighter than mine, but as you get older, it will darken as your ambitions grow. Most do not have gold auras. They are muddied because they are not free like you and I and will appear brown. You'll see. After you have mastered seeing overall auras, I will show you how to separate them into levels," the boy said, standing and stretching.

Mathias knew it was time to go. He stood up.

"You're tired, Andreas…and so am I. I'll see you in the morning," Mathias said, walking toward the door.

Andreas jumped into his bed, landing on his back and smiling at the wizard.

"Good night, my brother," he said, grinning at Mathias who smiled back at him.

"Good night, brother," he replied, then opened the door and exited the room.

Andreas stared at the closed door.

"We are brothers with much to accomplish," he said in a low voice, closing his eyes.

* * *

The rest of the school year went well and it was almost time for end-of-year exams. Mathias and Andreas worked on their powers and spells in private and became very proficient. Andreas was a natural when it came to learning new spells, and he was very pleased when he learned to place his signatures on his magic so it could not be removed. 

Mathias learned to separate and read auras. He had looked at his father's overall aura and found it to be a very dark gray, containing flashes of very bright yellow, blue and a deep pulsing crimson the color of blood. He also found that Severus' emotional, mental and motivational auras were mostly the same deep red. It wasn't the bright red of anger, but something deeper…more insidious. He asked Andreas about it.

"Your father lives a very difficult life, Mathias. He is embroiled in evil, an evil he badly wants to destroy. This is something that is always with him. He suffers because of it. It is what makes his overall aura almost black…but he is not evil. He is simply always in contact with it. The deep red is the deep anger and hatred he feels. It consumes him, his emotions, his thoughts, and his motivations. Everything. Until the evil is destroyed he will always be this way," Andreas said.

"Voldemort," Mathias breathed.

Andreas nodded.

"Yes…he is a very great evil," the wizard said, looking at Mathias intently. "An evil that must fall. Too many are under his spell. If he is allowed to continue, he will bring destruction and death in the end. All will suffer…those who are his and those who are not. He must be stopped."

Andreas took a deep breath.

"The Prophecy is a lie," the boy said, his black eyes glinting.

"The Prophecy? You mean about Harry Potter and Voldemort?" Mathias asked him.

"Yes. My people divined that Professor Trelawney was under the influence of the Dark Soul of the World when she made that prophecy. The Wizarding World wanted a hero…a hope. The Dark Soul provided it. But it is a lie," Andreas said.

"But…but why don't your people tell?" Mathias demanded.

"We are forbidden to interfere," Andreas said somewhat bitterly. "None of us are to say a word or lift a hand against the Dark Lord. We cannot tell the white wizards what they must do. Life must go forward as it will."

"But you just told me something bad about him…what he's going to do," Mathias said, "You've broken the law of your people."

Andreas beamed at him.

"You are not a white wizard. You have gone before the Dark Soul of the World and seen your ancestor. You are pale, but you are my brother. We are connected. I can tell my brother anything and break no laws," the wizard said.

"Connected through the journey?" Mathias asked the wizard, wanting to understand.

Andreas shook his head.

"Not only the journey. You and I have the same original ancestor. The Nameless One who came to free the Others. We are truly connected, Mathias," Andreas said soberly. "And you can do what I cannot. You are not bound by my tribe. You can act as you please, and as your brother, I can aid you in any battle."

Mathias' mouth dropped open.

"You want to kill Voldemort," he said to Andreas, whose eyes went hard.

"As badly as your father," the young wizard said. "I have seen what he will do, and his evil will spread to my people as well. Throughout the entire world, muggle included. The streets will run red with blood. I cannot go after him myself…but I can aid my brother in battle against him."

"You want me to kill him," Mathias said quietly.

"I want us to kill him," Andreas replied, "when we get older and stronger. When we are men. He will want you, Mathias. You will have the opportunity to destroy him."

"But he's a politician now," Mathias said, thinking of the DKV.

Suddenly Andreas grabbed Mathias by his shoulders. The little wizard had to force himself not to take defensive action.

"He is no politician," he hissed, drawing Mathias closer and resting his forehead again his. "Look!"

Mathias saw a huge crowd of people outside the Ministry, and others watching whatever event it was through magic mirrors in various places. It was some kind of protest with thousands of people in attendance. All of the sudden a great roar went up from the crowd and they rushed the Ministry, killing the Council members and Aurors, then rushing into the building and killing anyone unfortunate enough to be there.

It was happening in the streets too. Witches and wizards suddenly drawing their wands and casting the killing curse on people passing by. It was happening everywhere in the wizarding world, people killing each other, their eyes wide with horror as they did so. The dead littered the streets. Even families turned on each other. Bodies were everywhere. Then he saw a village, thousands of miles away and everything in it was dead. People, animals and even the surrounding plants. Brightly dressed black bodies lay unmoving on the earth, dead toddlers and infants clutched to the dead parents' breasts.

Andreas pulled back from him, his eyes filled with tears.

"Do you see now? And that…that is only the beginning. He must be stopped, Mathias," Andreas said.

"But if your people know this, Andreas…why won't they stop him?" Mathias demanded.

"They believe they can alter the future, protect themselves when Voldemort comes for them. But I know he will be too powerful. The Dark Soul is part of this. The Dark Soul hates my people because they will not serve it," Andreas said.

Suddenly Mathias yelled and clutched his head as a sharp pain shot through it. It was as if someone stuck a long white-hot needle into his skull. He fell against the wall and gasped as he saw Hermione and Severus lying in a puddle of blood on a stone floor. They were naked and had been beaten severely. Hermione's body was black and blue, covered in bite marks, her face was badly swollen and blood was smeared all over her thighs. His father's body was almost completely stripped of flesh. Severus stirred, and started crawling toward Hermione, her head turning toward him.

"That's what we do to traitors," a high-pitched voice sounded. "Mathias is a man now and has renounced you both. I no longer need either of you. Death to the traitorous muggle-lover and his muggle-born whore! Avada Kedavra!"

A loud cheer went up and both Severus and Hermione were bathed in green light.

Mathias gasped as he came back to himself and looked at Andreas wildly.

"I have to find my father!" he yelled at Andreas, racing from the room.

Andreas watched him leave, tears streaming down his face. By showing the young wizard his vision, he had unlocked Mathias' own abilities. Now…Mathias knew what the future held if Voldemort were allowed to live.

The wizard couldn't be allowed to live.

* * *

Mathias ran through the corridor, down the stairwell and through the common room, bumping into several students as he headed for the Head of House office. 

Voldemort was going to kill his parents if he didn't do something about it. Mathias ran to Severus' office, but he wasn't in there. He continued through the passageway until he entered the dungeon corridor. He ran to his father's Potions office and began to bang on the door as hard as he could.

Severus, who was doing some end-of-year grading, looked up with a scowl.

"Who is it?" he roared, pulling out his wand. He hated to be interrupted when he was working, and the fact that whoever was outside his door was trying to pound it off the hinges didn't do anything to improve his temper.

"It's Mathias!" the boy yelled.

Severus used his wand to quickly open the door. His son never acted like this before. Mathias stumbled in and ran up to his desk, the boy's black eyes washing over every inch of the Potions Master as if to make sure he wasn't beaten raw.

"Mathias, what's wrong?" the Potions Master said, a worried look on his face at the boy's condition.

Mathias was panting too hard to speak at first. Severus stood up and walked around his desk. He gently grasped the boy's shoulders and sat him down in the rickety chair, then conjured up a pitcher of cold water and a glass. He poured some water into the glass and handed it to his son.

"Drink that," he said. He backed up and rested against his desk as Mathias drank the water. Then the boy looked at him.

"I…I want you to teach me occlumency," he said, his breath still short.

Severus raised an eyebrow. This was the emergency?

"Occlumency? That's a seventh year spell, Mathias. Why do you need to learn occlumency?" Severus asked him.

"I need to hide my thoughts," the boy said. "It's important, dad."

Severus stared at Mathias. He had called him 'dad'. The wizard swallowed several times. He never thought Mathias would address him that way. He always called him "sir" or "Professor". Never "dad."

Severus had to clear his throat.

"All right, son…what is this about?" he asked the young wizard, trying to be nonchalant as he used the term. Son. What a powerful word.

Mathias looked at him.

"I…I can't tell you that. But it is very important. I need to know how to close my mind so others can't see what I am really thinking or look at my memories. It's a matter of life and death."

Severus' mouth quirked a bit at this. What could an eleven-year-old boy be doing that is a matter of life and death? Then he scowled. He was Hermione's son too…he really could be doing something dangerous.

"I want to know why you want to learn occlumency," Severus said, his eyes glinting at his son now.

Mathias didn't want to tell his father about the vision. But it did concern Voldemort. Suddenly he knew what to say.

"When you were tortured by Voldemort, you said there were conditions to him accepting me. He wants me to join him, doesn't he?" Mathias asked, "When I grow up."

Severus looked at him, then nodded.

"Yes," he replied.

"I don't want to join him. I hate him for what he did to you. He's going to know this if I ever meet him," Mathias said. "I have to hide that from him."

Severus thought about this. Actually, Mathias would be meeting the Dark Lord before he grew up. Lucius and Draco often held small parties where introductions to Voldemort would be made. Sometimes children were asked to attend. The Dark Lord would appraise them. Which meant he'd look into their minds. Severus was certain Voldemort would want to meet the boy. The despot would be glamoured, of course. If Mathias' hatred was apparent, Voldemort might decide the boy was unsuitable, and then…

"Perhaps you are right, Mathias. Perhaps I should be teaching you occlumency now," he said to the boy. "But why were you running like that?"

"I don't know. I…I just got scared I guess," the little wizard lied. "It just came to me kind of suddenly that I needed to protect myself."

Severus nodded.

"I know you do not want to be mixed up with the Dark Lord, Mathias. I am praying that he falls before you reach adulthood, although it doesn't seem as if it will happen unless someone assassinates him…"

Here the wizard faltered.

"But he is very well protected by both his magic and his guards from the inner circle," the wizard finished, sounding frustrated.

Mathias looked at his father.

"You want to kill him, don't you, sir?" Mathias said, reverting to his more formal address. He had used the term 'dad' in his excitement.

Severus looked at the boy, his eyes narrowed. He did have to teach him occlumency, and soon. The boy was too perceptive.

"Yes, I do, Mathias. I want to be free of him. His death is the only way," the wizard replied.

Mathias nodded. Severus looked at him soberly.

"Mathias, don't ever let anyone hear you speak ill of Voldemort," he said to his son. "He has eyes and ears everywhere. Jasmine's father Draco is very close to him. Jasmine most likely reports everything she sees and hears to her father. You have to be careful. Understand me?" Severus asked the boy.

"Yes sir," Mathias said.

The Potions Master looked at him with approval.

"Good. Now tomorrow evening come to this office at eight o'clock. We will begin your occlumency lessons immediately. Tell no one," Severus said, "If people know you can do occlumency, it makes knowing it pointless."

"Yes sir," Mathias said. He looked like he wanted to ask Severus something. Severus frowned at him.

"If you want to say something Mathias, say it," he said snarkily. Hermione would do the same thing…hesitate about asking him a question. It made him crazy sometimes.

"Lord Voldemort hates muggle-borns, right?" Mathias asked him.

"Very much," Severus replied.

"Then it makes sense he would hate a wizard or witch involved with a muggle-born," Mathias continued.

Severus nodded.

"Well, you are involved with mum. Won't that make him hate you too? Couldn't he hurt you because of it?" Mathias asked him.

"The Dark Lord and I have already discussed my relationship with your mother. I told him it was you who suggested I have a relationship with her, and told him I did so to keep you happy and to have a deeper influence over you. He accepted that, although he said he expected me not to enjoy my association with her too much. I am not to develop feelings for her," Severus said honestly.

Mathias looked at him.

"You aren't supposed to love her," the little wizard said.

Severus nodded.

Mathias frowned.

"Do you love her, Professor? Do you love mum?" Mathias asked. He knew the wizard visited Hermione almost every weekend.

Severus sighed.

"Mathias, I am going to be honest with you. I have been through so much in my life that I believe I am incapable of loving a witch the way most wizards can. I live a dangerous life and anyone I showed care for could become a target at any time if I fall from the Dark Lord's favor. I appreciate your mother. She is a brilliant, affectionate woman who I enjoy spending time with on many levels. But I do not love her. I'm sorry," he said softly.

"Does she love you?" Mathias asked him.

"I don't know. I hope not," Severus replied, thinking of the witch gasping in his arms. He pushed the thought away.

Mathias hadn't seen the two of them together yet. He was sure if his mother were in love, he'd be able to tell.

"What if someone tried to hurt her? What would you do?" Mathias asked the wizard, thinking he might abandon Hermione…like he did before. The little wizard scowled at the Potions Master, wondering if he had made a mistake picking him for his mum.

Severus' eyes went hard.

"If anyone tried to do anything to your mother, or you…I would kill them, or die trying to protect both of you," he replied darkly.

"Even if it were Voldemort?" Mathias asked him.

"Yes," the wizard replied, "Even if it were Voldemort himself."

Mathias smirked at him. Severus found it quite annoying.

"Why are you smirking at me like an idiot?" Severus demanded, his nostrils flaring.

Mathias now smiled at him broadly.

"Because I think you do love my mum. Why else would you be willing to die for her?" Mathias replied smugly.

Severus turned red.

"That is 'a sense of responsibility' not 'Love.' They are two very different things," he snorted at the smiling boy.

Mathias stood up, still smiling at the wizard.

"Well, sir…you call it what you want and I'll call it what it is," the boy said.

What? The impertinence of the little scamp!

Severus was sorely tempted to deduct some points but this was a personal visit. He couldn't very well take points from Slytherin because his son said he believes he is in love with his mother. Severus walked bad-temperedly back around his desk and sat down, picking up his quill.

"I'll see you tomorrow night, Mr. Snape," he said by way of dismissal. The Potions Master picked up a parchment in one hand and pretended to study it. Mathias grinned at him.

"Good night, Professor," the boy said, sounding horribly smug.

Severus considered hexing him for a moment. He knew a "kick-in-the-arse" spell that was quite effective.

"Good night," he snapped.

Mathias left, and Severus warded the door.

"Love," he spat, putting down his quill and straightening his papers.

"Preposterous. Ridiculous. The boy has no idea what he's talking about. Severus Snape loves no witch. No witch," he seethed. "I'm incapable of it. Hermione is just a pleasure…"

He paused a moment.

"An addiction," he amended, frowning down at the parchments in front of him. "A brilliant, amber-eyed, curvaceous addiction. That's all."

Severus started working again, his eyebrows furrowed.

They remained furrowed the rest of the evening.

* * *

When Mathias entered the common room, Jasmine was there. He adjusted his vision to see her aura. Jasmine's aura was mostly dark green. She was a very ambitious witch who wanted power and acknowledgement. Her ice blue eyes turned on him, ands she smiled, her aura going noticeably darker. Mathias shifted to her motivational aura. It was such a dark green it was near black. 

Weeks ago, Mathias had walked into the common room and saw Jasmine's bright yellow aura as she studied…it was almost as bright as his own, which meant the witch was highly intelligent. As he approached her and she looked up, he saw the yellow aura dim significantly. She was dumbing down. He frowned slightly as he realized she was only pretending not to be able to do her potions work.

He walked up to her.

"Hi Mathias. Are you ready to help me with tonight's assignment?" she had asked him.

Mathias stared at her until she grew uncomfortable.

"No. You're smart enough to do your homework yourself, Jasmine. If you want to stay my friend, you'd better be more honest with me. You've been wasting time I could use to be studying and I don't appreciate it. You're going to stop it now," the wizard said, frowning at her.

Jasmine knew he had her pegged. But how had he found out? Somehow, she knew better than to protest his accusation. Instead, she confessed...sort of.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you. You always spend time with Andreas alone, but never with me," she said glumly.

Mathias looked at her, aware that one day in the future, he would intimately spend time with her. Andreas had been right. The feelings he had towards Jasmine when he returned from the plain of the Dark Lord had faded. But he still knew what was coming.

"It won't always be like that, Jasmine," he said. "But you have to realize right now that Andreas and I are always going to be close and spend time together. You have to either accept that or just leave me alone."

He left the witch sitting at the study table, walking up the stairs and turning down the hall that led to his room.

Jasmine had a feeling that she'd better straighten up if she wanted to continue her association with the young wizard. She had been noticing something different about Mathias. About his eyes and his demeanor. It was as if he knew some secret no one else did. A powerful secret. The witch found it compelling.

So Jasmine stopped playing the damsel in distress and did her own potions work. She still kept her opinions to herself as her grandmother had instructed however, and remained as close to Mathias as she could get without annoying him. The wizard began to study with the witch one night a week however, just him and her. That made Jasmine feel better, though he still spent much more time with Andreas.

Jasmine knew it wouldn't always be that way. All she needed to do was wait a couple of years.

But tonight as Mathias walked toward the witch, he had a purpose, an ulterior motivation of his own.

"Jasmine, you're a member of the 'Young DKV" club aren't you?" he asked her.

"Yes. I'm the secretary and keep the minutes," she replied rather proudly. Then she looked at him. "Why? Are you thinking about joining us?"

She hoped so. But that would mean he'd have to stop hanging around Andreas. Andreas wasn't DKV approved.

Mathias shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe someday. But I'd like to read up on it. Get some background history," the wizard said.

"Oh I have plenty of introductory literature up in my room," Jasmine said happily. "There are a lot of benefits to being a DKV member. You get discounts, free meals, preferential treatment at the better establishments…things like that. Wait here."

Jasmine flounced away.

Mathias' eyes narrowed. He knew the witch would waste no time telling her father that he was interested in the DKV. That would put him in a more positive light. It would be important later on.

The boy knew if he were going to help Andreas kill Voldemort, he'd have to learn all he could about the wizard. Become an expert on him. The boy knew most likely the literature that Jasmine brought him would all be doctored to be positive. But if he knew what the DKV believed about the Dark Lord and his history, Mathias would be better able to move through those circles if he had to, even if he didn't join. He could get the true story of Voldemort from his mother, father and uncles Harry and Ron.

Most of the books with his dark history had been removed from the public shelves and stores, but Mathias knew he could find them in the Restricted Section of the school library. He had heard Hermione talking to Harry about how Dumbledore refused to destroy them when the board, led by Draco requested it, saying the books contained slander and propaganda and the claims against Voldemort in their pages were all misleading and unproven.

Because of what his father went through to make him acceptable and because of his and Andreas' visions, Mathias knew that the Dark Lord was capable of murder on a grand scale. He scowled as Jasmine bounced down the stairs, her arms full of parchments.

If Mathias had his way, and he intended to, there were two murders the Dark Lord would never get a chance to commit.

* * *

Mathias did quite well on his end-of-year exams, earning top marks. Severus was extremely proud of him, although his only comment was: 

"You made fairly decent marks."

Mathias knew this was high praise from his father and beamed happily as Severus scowled at him.

Mathias took to occlumency like a dragon to fire. His first night he was able to repel his father from his mind after a small, desperate battle. That was because Mathias had an awful amount of secrets he didn't want discovered, not even by his father and it added to his intent when casting the spell. Severus focused on seeing earlier memories from childhood rather than recent ones formed at Hogwarts, wanting to give Mathias some privacy.

The Potions Master wasn't sure when he himself became interested in naked witches, but he caught a couple of glimpses of quite a curvaceous and very naked blonde woman in the boy's mind. She had to be a fantasy. There was no way he could have seen her. Fantasizing about witches at eleven years old? Maybe he'd better give the boy a sex talk soon. A more in-depth one about the actual mechanics of it as well as the desired outcome.

By the time school let out three weeks later, Mathias was able to drop his occlumency walls solidly, with all the delicacy of a huge meteor crashing to earth. The boy was a quick study. It was good he could do it, but anyone trying to read his thoughts and memories would definitely know the young wizard was purposely blocking them. They had to work on subtlety next, then on targeted blockage, closing off large blocks of memories without appearing to do so. This was what Mathias needed in order to face Voldemort.

Hermione was very disappointed when Mathias owled her, asking if he could stay at Hogwarts for the summer with his father. But then again, she had to work every day and Mathias would have been home alone for much of the time. She owled him back and said she would discuss it with his father. Severus had no problem having Mathias stay with him. He had an extra room in his quarters that the boy could occupy and they could get to know each other better, as well as work on his occlumency and potions skills. He would bring Mathias home on the weekends to see his mother, stay overnight and leave in the morning so they could spend Saturday and Sunday together alone.

The first time Mathias saw Severus sitting at the kitchen table in a house robe and rather fluffy black bedroom slippers, he grinned from ear-to-ear. Hermione was bright red the entire breakfast as they ate together. Mathias knew the Professor was laying wand to her after all. But to her relief, Mathias didn't seem to have any issues about it, other than to ask, "Did you have a good night, Professor?"

Hermione's redness knew no bounds when her son asked this.

"Yes, I did, Mathias," Severus replied, sipping his coffee and smirking as he cut his eyes toward Hermione.

"That's good. And did you have a nice night, mum?" Mathias asked her.

If Severus scattering all her beauty supplies and taking her on top of her mirrored dresser for what seemed like hours was having a nice night, then yes…she did. Thank the gods for silencing spells. Mathias had been listening too, hoping to hear something that indicated how well they got along.

"Yes. I did," she said. She couldn't turn any redder so just sat there, mortified.

After breakfast, Mathias returned to his bedroom and Severus watched as Hermione cleared the table. He'd like to do her again, simply because she was so embarrassed about Mathias seeing him here, not knowing he and the boy had already discussed this issue.

"You had a nice night last night, eh?" the Potions Master said to her silkily. "Nice? Is that the way you would describe what I did to you, witch?"

Hermione had just gotten her color back…now she flushed again.

She turned around scowling at the wizard, her back resting against the sink.

"No…it wasn't nice what you did to me," she hissed at him. "I don't want to talk about this now. Mathias might hear us."

Severus stood up and strode over to Hermione and pressed his body against hers possessively, bending her back over the sink.

"I'd like to take you right here. Imagine Mathias hearing that," he said wickedly. Then he kissed her.

Mathias happened to walk into the kitchen just as Hermione's arms wrapped around Severus' neck. He couldn't see the kiss because Severus' back was turned to him, but by the way his father's head was moving, he was giving his mum one big kiss. Since she was holding him so tightly, she must have liked it very much.

Mathias backed out of the kitchen, smiling. Obviously, his father and mother were quite compatible. He had never seen Justice kiss her like that. He went back to his room. He could get pumpkin juice later.

* * *

The only bad thing about summer vacation was that Andreas was gone. He went home. Mathias missed him greatly. It was as if he'd lost a limb. But he and Severus did things together, brewing medicinal supplies for the infirmary, practicing occlumency and talking about Voldemort. Severus was very candid with him and didn't hold back any of the gory details of his reign, or his own role in it. 

"What you read in the DKV literature is all lies, Mathias, meant to give the Dark Lord a positive face. He is gaining followers another way now. And that Dark Mark they receive is very dangerous. They can be controlled through it…it has a kind of mass Imperious curse on it, though it is a different kind of curse we can't figure out."

Mathias thought about Andreas' vision. So that's how it started. The Dark Lord used his mark to make people kill each other. That mark was the key.

"Can't mum help figure it out?" Mathias asked, "She's very clever sir."

Severus shook his head.

"If your mother was found to be doing anything that could affect the DKV negatively, she would be sacked. The Ministry has a non-involvement policy," his father replied.

"But this is important. Mum could always get another job," Mathias said, frowning.

"Your mother worked very hard to get the position she has, Mathias. She will soon be the Department Head. That is a very prestigious and well-paying position," the Professor said.

"But according to what I've read, if the DKV has its way, only purebloods will be able to hold positions like that. Mum could lose her job anyway," the young wizard said.

"Yes, it is possible. But she isn't going to walk away from a good situation because of what could 'possibly' happen," Severus replied.

Mathias realized the Professor was right. His mum was stubborn like that.

"But things are different now. Mum didn't have you helping her financially before. Now you give her money to help…she doesn't have to work for the Ministry now if she didn't want to," Mathias said.

"But the point is, she does want to, Mathias. She wants to receive the honor she's worked so hard for," Severus said soberly.

"She should be more concerned about the wizarding world," Mathias said under his breath, "And all the people that are going to die because of that Mark."

Then he looked at his father.

"But you have the mark," he said horrified, "That means…"

Severus shook his head.

"No. I have an original mark because I am one of the original inner circle of deatheaters. He can only summon and cause me pain with this mark. It couldn't be replaced, thank the gods," he replied.

Mathias heaved a sigh of relief.

Severus changed the topic. Mathias was asking an awful lot about the Dark Lord lately. It was as if he were obsessed. Severus told him all he could and answered any questions he came up with. He had also taken out several historical books from the restricted section for him. The old books that held the true background of the Dark Lord.

Initially Severus was concerned, but after consideration, thought it might be good for Mathias to know all he could about Voldemort. If the Dark Lord was still in power when he came of age, his knowledge might help him in some way. Hopefully he wouldn't be.

"Tonight we are going harvesting in the Forbidden Forest, so I suggest you retire a bit early," Severus said. "This particular flower can only be harvested on the first night of the full moon. It's called a moonflower and is very important in healing potions."

Mathias stiffened.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked him, frowning slightly. "You look like you've seen a Manticora descending on you."

"I…I've just never been in the Forbidden Forest before. I've heard stories about it," Mathias lied.

The Potions Master's face relaxed.

"Don't worry. We'll be safe, believe me," Severus replied. "Now I'm going to go check on that elixir. It is very volatile at this stage and I would prefer that you not come with me in case of an accident. You can wander about the castle or stay here if you wish."

"All right, sir," the boy replied as Severus left the study.

Mathias hadn't stiffened because they were going into the Forbidden Forest. He had stiffened because they were going into the Forbidden Forest on the first night of the full moon. That was the night Professor Trelawney was supposed to perform her "ritual" devised by him and Andreas.

If the witch hadn't figured out she'd been duped yet, Mathias hoped she would come after he and his father had harvested the moonflower. If his father saw her…

Mathias shuddered.

He knew it wouldn't be pretty on a number of levels.

* * *

Wandtips glowing, Severus and Mathias carefully made their way through the Forbidden Forest. The full moon was high in the sky, casting its bright monochromatic light over the grounds, but because of the thickness of trees, the wizards had to provide their own illumination. 

"The crop of moonflowers are in a clearing towards the middle of the forest," Severus said to Mathias as he led the way, "We won't need our wands to see them."

Mathias stepped over a large root, marveling how his father could move through the woods without his robes snagging. Everything seemed to be grabbing Mathias' robes.

Suddenly Severus stopped, listening intently. There were a number of animal and insect noises that they had heard when entering the forest. What had his father heard?

"Do you hear that?" Severus asked his son in a low voice, still listening, his brow furrowed.

"All I hear are animals," Mathias replied, trying his best to hear something out of the ordinary.

"That's no animal. Keep low and stay close to me," Severus said, moving into stealth mode and walking forward, his wand dimmed somewhat.

Mathias stayed right on his heels.

As they moved through the forest, Mathias thought he heard something. He stopped a moment, listening.

"Keep up!" his father hissed at him. Mathias scurried to catch up. There was a glow behind the trees and they could hear someone talking.

"Who is that?" Severus said, putting out his wand and moving from tree to tree now. "And what is that awful stench? It smells like…like garlic and dragon dung."

Mathias' heart sunk as they moved closer to the strange light and odd voice.

Severus made it to the last line of trees and looked around the one he stood behind. Mathias moved to the next tree down, also looking toward the clearing.

At first, Severus' mouth dropped open in shock…then a look of amazement, followed closely by disgust settled on his face. His large nose was noticeably wrinkled as the scent of dragon shit washed over them. They would have the misfortune to come out of the forest downwind. Gods.

"Cover your eyes, Mathias! Don't look if you don't want to be scarred for life, son!" Severus hissed at him warningly. But it was too late. Mathias had seen all he needed to.

It was Professor Trelawney.

The witch was in the moonflower clearing, naked and completely brown because she was covered from head to toe in pungent dragon dung. A garland of cut garlic was strung around her neck. The odor was absolutely ghastly, as was her bony body dancing wildly around and around the bonfire…the witch spinning and chanting odd words as she did so. In the process, Sybil was trampling the moonflowers.

Severus was appalled and disgusted. What the fuck was the witch doing? Was she insane? He listened to the words she chanted in her spooky, hollow seer voice.

"SAERDNA DNA SAIHTAM! SAERDNA DNA SAIHTAM!"

Severus frowned slightly. There was something familiar about that chant.

Mathias looked on caught between horror and mirth as the skinny witch fulfilled her monthly obligation to the "Spirits of Mbutu." He took in the scene intently, intending on sharing it with Andreas when he returned next term.

"The stupid woman. She's destroying the moonflower crop," Severus hissed, staring at the crushed flowers in frustration as Sybil's dung covered feet continued trouncing them. "Wait here, Mathias."

"Dad, you're not going out there?" Mathias hissed back at him, again addressing Severus as his parent in his excitement.

"I just need a couple of flowers. There are a few uncrushed ones on the perimeter. I can harvest those. She won't see me," the wizard said, casting a disillusionment spell on himself.

Mathias' eyes went wide as he tried to follow his father's movement. He saw Severus' shimmer as he crept toward the bonfire and the untouched moonflowers.

Sybil continued to chant and dance, the sight and odor of the witch becoming almost unbearable. Sybil had no curves to speak of, very tiny breasts and sharp bones and joints everywhere. Severus wondered if the witch had ever been touched in her life as he grasped the first flower. He yanked it out by the root and moved to the next.

Suddenly, Trelawney stopped dancing and peered around with a wary look.

"Is someone there?" she called, covering herself.

Severus froze, hoping his shimmer didn't register. Mathias ducked behind the tree and held his breath as Sybil looked directly at the copse of trees he was hiding behind.

Sybil wasn't wearing her glasses, but she still thought she felt a presence. She walked over to her discarded robes and picked up both her glasses and her wand. She put on her glasses and began walking toward Severus, her stench almost gagging the wizard as she drew closer. He had dropped the moonflowers the moment she stopped dancing and stood stock still, holding his breath as she walked past him, her wand held straight out before her. The Potions Master breathed a small sigh of relief as she passed, before realizing she was heading for the trees where Mathias was hiding.

Shit.

Mathias saw the witch approaching and tried to disappear back into the forest. Unfortunately, he stepped on a dried twig. It snapped.

"Come out!" Sybil cried, charging forward. She shot a stunner through the trees.

Desperately, Severus drew out his wand and stunned the naked witch before she made it to the tree line and his son. Sybil shrieked and dropped like a stone, her shapeless bottom turned toward the sky...a small dung-covered moon shining beneath its namesake.

Severus ran past her fallen body into the woods.

"Mathias? Mathias!" he called. At first there was no answer.

Then came a pained, "I'm over here, dad."

Severus followed the sound of Mathias' voice and found him sitting on the ground grimacing, rubbing his ankle.

"She didn't get me with the stunner, but I twisted my ankle on a root when I was dodging it," the small wizard said.

Severus dropped to his heels and examined the boy's ankle. He then pointed his wand at it and said a mending spell. Mathias sighed with relief as his father looked at him with concern.

"Did you hurt anything else?" he asked his son.

"No. I'm fine," Mathias said as Severus helped him up and brushed off his robes, straightening them. Mathias looked up at him smiling as he did so. Severus realized he was being an indulgent, over-protective father and dropped his hands, scowling down at the little wizard.

"You should watch where you're going," he said gruffly, turning back toward the clearing.

"Yes sir," Mathias said, following him, still smiling.

He saw Professor Trelawney sprawled on the ground smelling of shit and garlic. His nose wrinkled both at the sight and the smell. She certainly was no grown-up Jasmine. She was so skinny she looked as if she should be hospitalized. She was wrinkly too. He watched as Severus quickly harvested the viable moonflowers then strode back quickly. Sybil was starting to stir.

Mathias waved at him warningly, and Severus dipped into the woods on the far right of the waking witch. Together, both wizards beat a hasty retreat, the Potions Master placing his arm around his son's shoulder and disapparating with him back to Hogwarts.

Sybil groaned and lifted her head as the sound of thunder registered. What had happened? Did her stunner ricochet off of the trees and hit her? Groggily she stood up and walked back to the bonfire and over to her robes, where she looked at her watch. Damn. She was going to have to start over.

The witch took a deep breath, then began to dance around the fire again, chanting the sacred words that would bring her great powers.

"SAERDNA DNA SAIHTAM! SAERDNA DNA SAIHTAM!"

* * *

The moment Severus and Mathias arrived in Severus' bedroom, the wizard put his collection bag down and strode into the study to his writing desk. He opened the drawer and took out a piece of parchment. Then he picked up a quill, dipped it in ink and wrote something down. Mathias watched from the bedroom door. 

The Potions Master stared at what he wrote, then wrote something else. His eyebrows went up in surprise, then he frowned and looked up at Mathias.

"Do you mind telling me why Professor Trelawney was covered in garlic and dragon dung and dancing around a bonfire while chanting your and Andreas' names backwards?" Severus asked his son.

Mathias swallowed.

How was he going to explain this one?

* * *

A/N: And that is the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 6." More to come. 


	7. Daddy Dearest Part 7

**Daddy Dearest Part 7**

Severus folded his arms and watched his son walk over from the bedroom door and stand in front of his desk, looking at the floor, presumably so Severus wouldn't see him thinking. The Potions Master knew that whatever the story was, it had to be good.

"I'm waiting," Severus said imperiously.

Mathias sighed. There was nothing for it. He had to tell his father the truth. He looked up at his father.

"Well, dad, it's like this, dad…" he said.

Mathias had taken to calling Severus 'dad' quite a bit when he realized his father didn't mind it when they were alone. He hadn't done it in front of his mother yet. The little wizard hoped addressing the Potions Master as dad this time would prompt Severus to be in a more forgiving, familial state of mind. But Severus was always pretty much one way. Snarky. That never changed.

Mathias began to tell Severus what led up to Sybil performing the ritual…how she targeted Andreas and how Andreas had dolls and used the Old Arts to make the witch stop targeting him unfairly. Then he confessed how he helped out, and was the one who thought of giving her a monthly ritual to do.

"So you were the one who told her to cover herself in dragon dung and cut garlic, then dance around a bonfire on the night of a full moon, chanting both your and Andreas' name?" he asked Mathias scowling fiercely.

"Yes, sir," Mathias said.

Severus stared at him.

"Go to your room, Mathias. Tomorrow I will tell you what your punishment will be," the Potions Master said in a strained voice. "Do not come out for any reason until morning."

Mathias nodded and walked back to his father's room to use the loo and drink some water out of the spigot, then obediently went to bed, relieved his father hadn't whipped him. Severus looked like the type who would beat a child…and actually he was. But there were other ways to punish a child, which were a lot worse than a whipping that would wear off in a couple of hours.

The moment Mathias closed his door, Severus bolted for his bedroom, closed the door and put up a silencing charm. Then he broke down into fits of uncontrollable laughter, the rich sound of it filling his bedroom as he dropped to his bed, holding both his forehead and his stomach, then just plain rolled over into his bed. He had never heard anything so hilarious in all his life. His son and Andreas had pulled off quite a prank. Even the antics of the Weasley twins didn't match this.

He could imagine an inebriated Sybil falling for "the spirit of Mbutu" line. She wasn't a very bright witch, but would do almost anything for recognition of her dubious "gifts." Even harass a twelve-year-old boy about his powers…which Severus found rather despicable.

The Potions Master was no angel when it came to his students. He had a track record of causing at least two students a week to collapse in tears because of his brutally honest comments about their work or his appraisal of their mental capabilities. But he would never covet anything a student possessed, or make his or her life miserable because of it.

Sybil had actually brought this on herself when she used her position of authority to try and force information out of Andreas he was not required to give…and in fact could not give because the boy's powers were inherent. Well, at least the Potions Master understood now why Andreas was in Slytherin house. He was a vindictive little bugger.

Andreas was one of his less dunderheaded students, and did quite well in Potions. The Potions Master couldn't remember a single time he had to chastise or dress the boy down. He knew how to conduct himself suitably in the presence of authority. Sybil had overstepped her bounds as a teacher, and personally Severus thought she got what she deserved.

Those two young wizards were brilliant. And the fact that this happened several months ago and the witch still hadn't figured it out was a testament to the fact how dull-witted Sybil Trelawney truly was. Severus had no intention of telling her she was the victim of a prank by two of his Slytherins. She would misconstrue his interest like she always did, thinking he was concerned for her welfare and carried a secret torch for her.

Severus shuddered as he remembered her nude body. Even without the dragon dung, he would have been repulsed. The Potions Master liked meat on his women. If he shagged Sybil, he would probably do himself irreparable damage on all those sharp bones. He shuddered again.

Let the dragonfly lady find out for herself.

As much as the boys' prank tickled him, Severus knew there had to be some punishment for the act, so he didn't give Mathias the message he approved of what they did, though the gods knew he thought the witch deserved it. Some hard work shoveling shit in the Thestral stables for the rest of the week should give Mathias time to think about his actions.

Severus smirked.

He was sure his son would still think their prank had been worth it.

The wizard sat on the edge of his bed for a moment, then collapsed into helpless laughter again.

Mathias and Andreas were devils. Little Slytherin devils who would probably go far.

* * *

The next term started, and Andreas never did pay for his part in the prank on Trelawney. His brother had paid the price for getting caught. And when Sybil's year was up and she didn't receive the powers, she thought she had somehow fallen out of favor with the spirits. She never did figure out it was a prank. If she was angry about the spirits' abandonment, there was nothing she could do. Andreas was beyond her now. He didn't take her advanced course. Mathias never took Divination either.

What he did do, however was raid Hermione's spell library and located quite a few protective and dark spells. He and Andreas practiced them all year until they became quite proficient. They also began practicing dueling, the Room of Requirement providing different scenarios. They were very good, as Gryffindor house found out.

James had ceased targeting Mathias as much as he did after having a heart to heart with his father, but there was still house rivalry that required altercations between Slytherin and Gryffindor. It seemed impossible to sneak attack either Mathias or Andreas. The two wizards seemed to have an uncanny ability to tell when Gryffindors with bad intentions were about. And their hexes were nasty, usually involving extra appendages. The two always worked in tangent as a team. The Gryffindors soon learned it was safer to target other Slytherins.

Jasmine Malfoy continued to hang out with them, and they taught her a few of the lesser spells just to shut her up. But she was proficient with the spells they taught her, and many a Gryffindor found their way to the infirmary with donkey ears, elephant trunks and large fluffy tails. She also continued as the secretary for the Young DKV, though she rarely discussed it with Mathias. He was interested, but he didn't agree with everything she believed.

"We're all descended from muggles, Jasmine. There is no possible way your family line can exist without at least one muggle in it. And Voldemort himself is half-muggle," Mathias would say to her. "And all you purebloods follow him. Now, does that seem right to you?"

Jasmine would doggedly stick to the DKV line of purity, but inwardly she was quite a logical witch and much of what Mathias had to say disturbed her. She asked her father about Voldemort's lineage, and Draco danced around it nicely.

"He is a great wizard and great leader, Jasmine. He had brought us together. His parentage is unfortunate, but he has all the noble qualities of a Pureblood…the only Half-blood that has that distinction. He is showing us a better way, a more righteous way. That is why we follow him. He will help us regain our status and position in the wizarding world, a status and position that has been stolen from us unfairly. We are gaining it back because of him. Remember that and be grateful," the wizard had told her.

Jasmine didn't understand how Voldemort, a half-blood was any different than any other one. He should be considered tainted as the rest of the half-bloods were. She decided it was because he was so powerful that others followed him. Power attracted people and Voldemort knew how to use his. But still, the disparity disturbed her. If Voldemort as a half-blood could be accepted with the full respect of Purebloods, why couldn't others? Why couldn't muggle-borns? If you were going to be one way, be one way about everything.

Jasmine Malfoy was being raised to be a vapid, power-hungry titled vamp. A female predator. A manipulator who would eventually land a very rich husband and follow the Malfoy tradition of being the Lady of an expansive manor. Malfoy women didn't work. They were shallow eye-candy. Beautiful, resourceful, cunning eye-candy.

Jasmine's own mother, Eloise, was deemed too soft and submissive to be a true Malfoy woman. Draco had only married her to bear him children. It was an arranged, loveless marriage. Draco kept her traveling abroad so she didn't influence Jasmine too much. He much preferred his mother to make the proper impressions on his daughter. His wife wasn't very maternal anyway…just material. She loved traveling and was constantly gone. The wizard had a couple of mistresses who had his true affections, if Draco could be said to have true affections.

But Jasmine had a mind, and was quite influenced by Mathias, who saw being an aristocrat who did nothing but lay around having babies, giving servants orders, spending galleons and throwing parties as a waste of a life. He told her that her mind would be totally wasted and she might as well quit Hogwarts now. Graduating would mean nothing if she wasn't going to do anything meaningful with her life.

Mathias' estimation of her future bothered Jasmine. It was assumed she'd be happy with a life like that, not having to lift a finger to do anything. Jasmine couldn't remember the last time Narcissa cast a spell of any type. Her servants even did that for her.

So Jasmine Malfoy was beginning to feel a sense of discontent with a lot of things in her life, present and future. Like every adolescent, she was starting to pull away from the influence of her family and testing her own limits. She still reported everything to her father, but wondered what he did with the information. It seemed so trivial to want to know what students were talking bad about the DKV. They were only students after all

Draco asked a lot of questions about Mathias too, wanting to know if he were showing any special abilities or gifts. Jasmine told him that she thought Mathias and Andreas were probably the toughest wizards in Slytherin, though they weren't bullies. Draco drank this in. But for some reason, she didn't tell him how Mathias talked about the Dark Lord. She didn't want her father to know.

Jasmine really liked Mathias. She had to make him seem acceptable to her father at all costs.

* * *

It was in Mathias' fourth year that things began to go awry. Hermione had been passed over for Department Head, the job going instead to Ichabod Creely, the young wizard who had developed the fire transmutation spell.

It had been a real blow to the witch, and was approved by the council…led by Draco of course. Hermione knew she had been passed over because she was a muggle-born, though Ichabod was quite talented. Still he didn't have the knowledge or background she did. To add insult to injury, Hermione had to teach him the ropes.

Mathias and Andreas were growing up and were quite formidable. Other Slytherins tried to join their friendship, Andreas' color no longer an issue because he was deemed so powerful, but the two wizards took on no more friends besides Jasmine. They were joined in purpose after all. A change had come over Mathias too. Now he was as dark and brooding in demeanor as his father and students often parted when he walked through the corridor, Andreas by his side, his dark eyes solemn.

He had not yet manifested the ability to do magic via the Old Arts, though his other gifts had developed fine. He could read auras, sense danger, glimpse another's future and sometimes listen in on the thoughts of others. The young wizard was also an accomplished Occlumens and proficient in Legilimency, though he really didn't need to use that particular art. He had also developed another gift that even Andreas didn't have.

The wizards discovered this gift when they were dueling in the Room of Requirement, and Andreas blasted Mathias' wand out of his hand.

Grinning wickedly and pointing his wand at the wizard, Andreas said, "And now what will you do, brother?"

Mathias stared at him, preparing to be painfully hexed. The wizards didn't pull punches when they dueled and felt they needed to get used to pain so it wouldn't incapacitate them completely if they did get hit with a hex.

Suddenly Mathias felt himself shift and then he was looking at himself. His image looked dazed. He looked down to see a wand in his black hand and waved it a bit. Then he was back looking at Andreas, who dropped his wand.

"I felt you inside me," the wizard said in a low voice. "You took over my body, Mathias! You are a soul traveler. This is a great gift! Very rare. Very powerful."

"Very scary," Mathias said, feeling himself all over.

It took him several weeks to learn to do it consciously, but Mathias was only able to enter Andreas for a second or two before he went back to his body, returning just in time to keep from falling.

"I'm going to have to make sure I'm sitting down or propped up against a wall to use this power," Mathias said.

"You have to find a way to do it longer," Andreas said, his black eyes glittering. "This is very, very good, my brother. A soul traveler can enter a body at will and control it. You might be able to enter Voldemort."

Mathias shuddered at this.

"And do what? Make him kill himself? I would probably die too," Mathias said.

Andreas looked at him strangely.

"As long as I am alive, you will not die Mathias Snape," he said soberly.

Mathias gave him a small smile.

He wasn't sure that was true.

Mathias was very aware he had a despot to kill and this knowledge affected him. Like his mother, he matured quickly, feeling as if the future of the entire wizarding was resting on his shoulders. The young wizard seldom smiled or spoke much, but when he did he had the same silky inflection as his father. He was growing taller too, and let his hair grow long, refusing to let Hermione tell him how to wear it anymore at the end of his third year. It didn't have the lankness of Severus' hair…because Severus didn't take care of his as Mathias did. It was black and silky. The wizard was starting to attract witches as well. But he wasn't interested.

Jasmine was however, and her icy stare sent many witches hurrying away in the opposite direction when they gathered in little groups and made eyes at Mathias as he passed. The three of them were known as "The Dark Trio," a name dubbed them surprisingly by Dumbledore. They reminded him somewhat of Harry, Ron and Hermione in their closeness. But he had no illusions that this group was golden. He knew they were Slytherins through and through. No Gryffindor leanings here.

Mathias threw himself into excelling at whatever he put his hand to. He was a very talented brewer and Severus often let him make elixirs even seventh years weren't allowed to handle. It was because the boy was as meticulous as his father, and like his mother had an almost photographic memory when it came to facts. He rarely made mistakes, his hands as steady and sure as his father's as he chopped and mashed and stirred. Severus would watch him work with pride. Mathias would be an exemplary Potions Master one day, if that was what he chose to pursue. His spell work was equally developed. Neither Severus nor Hermione knew that both Andreas and Mathias could cast Unforgivables.

Mathias came home for the summer at the end of his third year…and Andreas came with him. While Hermione was at work, the boys used her lab…which was shielded from the Ministry due to the nature of her work. She sometimes did experiments with Unforgivables and needed to be able to work without Aurors appearing every time she cast a spell.

Both Mathias and Andreas were able to cast the Killing Curse quickly, because they had a very deep hatred of Voldemort and only needed to think of him for the power to emerge. They had to work on the Crucio curse quite a bit, because you had to want to cause pain and neither wizard was cruel by nature. The wizards had to use nifflers and at first it was difficult to torture and kill them…but there was a higher purpose to what they were doing and they soon were able to handle it without remorse. They were hardened.

Towards the end of his fourth year, Severus called Mathias into his office. The teenager came in and sat down quietly. Severus studied him. Gods, the resemblance was amazing.

"Mathias, you are going to need your Occlumency skills. We have been invited to a gathering being held at Malfoy Manor this weekend. You are to be presented to the Dark Lord and evaluated for suitability," the Potions Master said. "I assume there is no need to tell you how important this is."

Mathias shook his head, his dark eyes glittering.

"No sir. I understand," he said in his soft voice. "Is that all sir?"

Severus nodded.

Mathias stood and left his office, his robes billowing slightly as he did so.

Severus shook his head. The boy was so much like him. He had become so dark and somber. There was a dangerous feel to him.

The Potions Master hoped Mathias could pass the Dark Lord's evaluation.

If he couldn't, most likely neither of them would live to see another term at Hogwarts.

* * *

When Severus told Hermione that Mathias was to go before the Dark Lord for an evaluation, she was totally against it.

"You want me to tell the Dark Lord no?" Severus asked her as Hermione glowered at him.

She was sitting up in bed naked, her arms folded across her breasts looking down at the Potions Master who was lying on his back, his arms folded behind his head and looking quite sated.

"Yes!" Hermione replied angrily.

She was mad for two reasons. The first was that he'd accepted the invitation without consulting her, and the second was that Severus had sex with her before he told her about it. The Potions Master knew it was a distinct possibility Hermione wouldn't have been cooperative if he had told her first. So he did what any Slytherin would do. Got his first.

Hermione and Severus had been lovers for over three years now and had fallen into a comfortable understanding, punctuated with huge arguments and incredible make-up sex. Hermione was not a shy, retiring witch and challenged him anytime he acted like a caveman, which was quite often. She would not allow him to tell her what to do.

"I'm not your student anymore," she would say to him, "I am a grown witch and been making my own decisions long before you took over my bed."

Of course, Severus rode Hermione until she left an indentation in the mattress after these little bouts of defiance, but Hermione still stood her ground. Secretly the Potions Master approved very much of her independent nature, as aggravating as it could be at times. She was no doormat. It was only during sex when she would totally submit to him…but then again, he gave her no choice. He hadn't lost any ardor for the witch in the three years he was with her. In fact, it seemed as if the wizard's ardor had grown.

Severus discovered a committed relationship was not a free pass for constant sex. With the other witches, all he had to do was show up…and he'd be happily shagging away within ten minutes. Not so with Hermione. If she wasn't in the mood, she wasn't in the mood. In the beginning, he just tore through her defenses with a few caresses, kisses and dirty words…but she soon wised up and forbid him to even touch her those nights…actually kicking him out of the bed a few times until he got the message. He would sleep uncomfortably on the sofa, Hermione's room tightly warded against him with her signature so he couldn't creep back in the middle of the night.

She'd pay when she finally did let him have her, believe that. Severus was a wonderful lover, but a very vindictive one…and he took great pleasure in driving into Hermione while whispering her recent offenses in the witch's ear, punctuating each one with a good, hard thrust until she was practically incoherent.

"My back still hurts from sleeping on that damn sofa," he'd hiss as she buckled beneath him. Personally, Hermione didn't believe him when he said things like that. No wizard could shag the way he did with an injured back.

The word "Love" had never come up between them in the three years they were together, but Hermione was irrevocably in love with the Professor. When Ron and the rest of her family found out she was involved with the snarky wizard who abandoned her and Mathias, all hell had broken loose. Hermione finally got them all together, including Harry and told them what Severus had done to protect her and Mathias from Voldemort and then gave them all an ultimatum either to accept her decision or get out of her life.

This was received with mixed reactions. Ron and Harry did leave her alone for a few months, but friendship won over and after a while, they accepted the situation, although with rather bad grace. Anytime Severus was in a room with either Harry or Ron, the tension was very high. Severus didn't help the situation a bit. He made sure to touch and purr over Hermione in a very possessive and clearly intimate way when they were about, which had the effect of putting both Harry and Ron in horrible moods. Severus always had fun when they were present much to Hermione's chagrin.

"They don't like the idea of me climbing all over your curvaceous little body," he purred at the witch, who would turn a nice, bright red.

Severus found it a small miracle that the witch could still blush after all he'd done to her. There was no part of Hermione that the wizard didn't know and partake of intimately, though anal sex had been quite an ordeal for the witch. Severus was huge and it took quite a while for her to get used to him. But he didn't do it often…he liked to feel her orgasm directly. It was usually when he was in 'total domination' mode that he would possess her that way and over time she learned to enjoy it.

Severus was also extremely jealous of Hermione, though he tried to hide it. Once he had visited and found Hermione with a male co-worker chatting over coffee in the kitchen, and he made the wizard so uncomfortable with his scowling that he left. Then he shagged Hermione right on the kitchen table the moment the front door closed, breaking the plates and coffee cups by slinging them to the floor. He did have the grace to repair them afterwards as Hermione shuddered deliciously from her multiple orgasms, still sprawled on the table. Yes, being the lover of Severus Snape was something else. Something she loved.

Severus looked up at Hermione.

"Telling the Dark Lord no is like saying, please Avada Kedavra me, my Lord," Severus replied. "You don't say no to an evaluation, Hermione. Remember, he made an allowance for Mathias…and you. We have to remain in his good graces."

Hermione scowled down at him.

"What if Mathias doesn't pass his evaluation? What then, Severus? He hates the Dark Lord," she said. The witch was very frightened for her son, though she tried to put on a brave face.

"He will pass. He is as good an Occlumens as I am," Severus said.

"But what if he doesn't?" Hermione asked her lover.

Severus' eyes went hard.

"Then he will be marked for death," he replied, "Just as he would have been if Voldemort found out about him years ago. In that event, I would hide him, and you where you could not be found."

Hermione's eyes narrowed.

""But…if you did that, what would happen to you, Severus?" she asked the wizard, her heart going cold.

"I would die fighting," Severus replied quietly. He wouldn't let Voldemort torture him to death.

Tears filled Hermione's eyes. She didn't want Severus to die for them.

"I don't want that, Severus. Couldn't you come with us?" Hermione asked.

Severus shook his head.

"I have the mark, Hermione. Voldemort would cause me constant pain until I surfaced. You wouldn't want to witness that," he replied. "And I don't want to go through it."

Hermione stared down at him, her heart aching. Gods, Mathias just had to pass the evaluation. He just had to. The thought of being on the run and Severus dead was just too horrible.

"I have a will that will instantly transfer all I have to you and Mathias," the wizard said in a low voice, "My residuals, my accounts, all my worldly goods. And an insurance policy that should take care of you for the rest of your life. It pays double if I am murdered."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears at this. She had no idea Severus had set things up to provide for both her and Mathias if he died. But she didn't want any of it. She just wanted him. She lay down, placing her head on the Potions Master's chest and listened to his strong heartbeat. She never wanted it stilled. He meant so much to her. She felt his arm encircle her.

"No one lives forever, Hermione," he said softly, looking up at the ceiling.

"But I want you to live as long as possible, Severus. I'd be lost without you," she replied, her fingertips tracing his scars as tears fell from her eyes.

Severus felt his heart tighten as Hermione's warm tears splashed on his chest. The witch had never said she loved him, but he knew she did. He saw it in her eyes every time she surrendered to him.

"Don't cry for me, witch," he said, "I've been living on borrowed time for many, many years. I've come to terms with the fact that I will probably die at Voldemort's hands. My one comfort is I can die with a less heavy heart now that I've known you. All I ask is that you and Mathias survive. That is all I want in the world, witch…you and my son to survive me."

Hermione sobbed now, crying as if her heart were breaking. And it was. Severus caressed her hair.

"Don't cry, Hermione," he said to her gently, "It will work out just the way it should in the end."

* * *

Jasmine Malfoy was a wreck. The Dark Lord was about to arrive and the banquet wasn't set up yet. She screamed at the cowering house elves to get a move on, then went to check the striped tent where Voldemort would be receiving people. She pulled back the flap and looked around approvingly. Although the tent seemed to be only ten feet by ten feet around from the outside, it was very spacious inside.

A throne had been placed on a dais and lush carpeting lined the floor. There was a sofa, several comfortable armchairs and velvet wall coverings. A small table held fresh fruit juices, liquors and appetizers, golden pitchers and goblets.

Jasmine looked very pretty in her Slytherin green dress robes, her hair swept up in a bun. She didn't want to overdo it. She was to be formally introduced to Voldemort today and evaluated. She was very excited to get to see him face to face for the first time.

The small party was being held in the rose orchard. Beautiful roses abounded in marvelous and rare colors. The air was fragrant with them. Small, round tables were scattered about and tables laden with food and drink arranged strategically. Voldemort's tent was set at some distance from the mingling area to afford privacy and safety for illustrious leader. There was heavy security consisting of Deatheaters from the inner circle. But they were in dress robes and unmasked.

Guests were arriving. Boyle and his father barreled in, heading straight for the banquet table. A few older Slytherins and their parents arrived also. Council members and Ministry officials were also in attendance. Jasmine greeted each graciously and told them where the facilities were located and to help themselves to food and drink. If they needed anything, they were to ask the house elves, who would accommodate them.

Severus and Mathias arrived, both in dress robes. The Potions Master immediately scowled at finding himself surrounded by roses. He hated everything about roses...the way they looked and particularly the way they smelled. Mathias was running his finger around his collar. He wasn't used to dressing up and the unfamiliar tightness of the high collar around his neck was uncomfortable. His black eyes swept over the opulent settings, looking up at the Manor. Yes, Jasmine's family was loaded all right. No wonder the witch was so spoiled.

Severus walked up to Draco, Mathias striding after him.

"Why, hello Professor. So good of you to come," Draco said, shaking Severus' hand. His ice-blue eyes turned on to Mathias. The boy was pale, dark-eyed and somber, just like his father, though much better looking. He had his mother's features.

"And you must be Mathias. I am Lord Draco Malfoy. Pleased to make your acquaintance," Draco said extending his hand.

Mathias took it and shook it firmly.

"My Lord," he responded by way of greeting.

He was going to be saying "My Lord" quite often today. It irked him however. He had no Lords. But he promised to be on his best behavior, which meant biting his tongue. Mathias was just as direct as his father, and his directness was often mistaken for rudeness.

"A firm grip," Draco commented approvingly.

A lot could be told from a handshake. The boy had confidence. Draco was aware he was quite accomplished magically, thanks to Jasmine who built Mathias up every chance she got. Draco in turn, gave this information to Voldemort, who was very interested in the boy's development. The Dark Lord had a vested interest in the boy, particularly since he had made a few concessions in order to acquire him into his ranks, concessions such as allowing Severus to indulge his mudblood mother for almost four years now. It rankled the Dark Lord because he could sense Severus' satisfaction with the arrangement.

Occasionally, Voldemort would torture him and try to find out if he loved Hermione. If he did, it would be an instant death sentence for them both. But Severus never confessed to it, so Voldemort would let him return to her. He still did not approve, and as soon as Mathias was inducted into his ranks, Voldemort planned to punish both Severus and Hermione, if not outright kill them. He intended to evaluate Mathias Snape thoroughly. If the boy were not up to par, he would send his deatheaters to kill him. The despot would kill his parents himself for failing to raise him suitably. A lot was riding on Mathias.

Jasmine caught sight of Mathias and hurried over to him. She looked him up and down. His hair was loose and well brushed, falling over his shoulders, and his dress robes were immaculate. He looked very handsome. Mathias' dark eyes washed over her as well.

"I thought you'd be in an evening gown," he said silkily.

Jasmine snorted at him.

"In the day, Mathias? Really. You have no fashion sense," she declared.

"I don't need it. I always dress in black," he replied, quirking an eyebrow at her..

Jasmine looked around at the guests with satisfaction.

"There are a lot of important people here. Officials and Council members," she said.

Mathias shrugged. He could care less how important they were. But there was something he wanted to know.

"Are they all DKV members?" he asked.

"Most of them, yes," Jasmine answered.

Suddenly a voice called out, "He comes. Pay your respects to the Great Lord Voldemort!"

A lot of murmuring broke out as people gathered together. Several wizards with their wands out exited the Manor in a tight group, Voldemort walking in the center of them, protected on every side. Everyone bowed as the group passed them, straining to get a look at Voldemort, who smiled and waved. He was glamoured to look as he would if he had not taken all the elixirs that transformed him into a snake-like visage. He was tall, dark-haired and dark-eyed. Quite a handsome man actually. The witches in attendance swooned, with the exception of Jasmine, who looked at him curiously.

Mathias studied him, then shifted to aura view. He started. Voldemort's auras were all black. Every single one of them, and not only that…Voldemort looked nothing at all like the man he appeared to be. He was thin, hairless, noseless and lipless. He was covered in scales and had red eyes. Mathias stared at the wizard. If people knew he looked like this, Mathias doubted they would follow him at all. He wasn't human. He might have been once, but not now. Mathias shifted back to normal sight, frowning slightly.

Severus, who was standing next to him, looked down and saw the frown.

"What's wrong son?" he inquired.

"Nothing," Mathias replied.

Severus said nothing more. Mathias was a teenager and teenagers were sulky at best.

The group moved inside the tent and the guests began to mill about, talking about how handsome the Dark Lord was.

It didn't take long for the evaluations to start. Voldemort was uncomfortable outside the security of his secret fortress. He planned to make this quick and get back. He had to meet with a few DKV members as well, to praise them for their work for the organization. He hated it, but Draco assured him it was the best way to get continued support. Draco had been correct so far.

A short, squat deatheater walked out of the tent and announced, "Lord Draco Malfoy and Lady Jasmine Malfoy, the Great Lord will see you now."

Draco caught Jasmine by the arm and walked her toward the tent. Mathias watched them enter, his dark eyes somber as the flap closed behind them.

Draco and Jasmine entered the tent and stood before the throne. A chubby, rather rat-faced wizard stood to the right of it. Peter Pettigrew. Draco bowed and Jasmine curtsied. Voldemort nodded at them, his dark eyes resting on Jasmine.

"My Lord, allow me to introduce my daughter, Lady Jasmine Narcissa Malfoy," Draco said.

Voldemort looked at her thoughtfully.

"Hello, Lady Malfoy," he said. Jasmine thought his voice was oddly high-pitched.

"Hello, my Lord," Jasmine replied, curtsying again.

Voldemort was silent for a moment, then said, "Leave us, Draco."

Draco bowed and exited the tent.

Lord Voldemort rose from the throne and walked up to Jasmine, studying her face, then walked around her, looking her over as if inspecting a dragon for purchase. He stopped in front of her.

"How old are you, Jasmine?" he asked her, "You don't mind me calling you Jasmine, do you?"

"No, my Lord," she answered. Jasmine carefully held her eyes to the floor as her father instructed. "I just turned fifteen, my Lord."

"Ah, fifteen. So young. You may look at me," he said. Jasmine raised her eyes.

"You have your grandmother's eyes," Voldemort commented, "Quite lovely."

"Thank you, my Lord," Jasmine said, feeling vaguely uncomfortable.

"I hear you are the secretary for the Young DKV club at Hogwarts and have been for nearly four years. That is quite commendable. Your dedication is appreciated and acknowledged, witch. Do you plan to take the Mark?" the wizard asked her, his eyes sweeping over her again.

"Yes, my Lord," Jasmine said.

Voldemort reached up and caressed her cheek slowly. Jasmine fought back a shudder. His fingertips were cold. Very cold.

"Excellent," the wizard said. "Since you have already shown your commitment by your works, Jasmine, I find you suitable. You may go. Send your father in when you leave," the wizard said.

Jasmine curtsied again.

"Yes my Lord. Thank you, my Lord," she said, waiting for Voldemort to return to his throne, then backing out of the tent. You were never to turn your back on the Dark Lord.

Draco hurried up to her.

"That was a very short interview. What did he say?" he asked his daughter.

"That because of my work for the Young DVK, he found me suitable. But he asked to see you," she replied.

Jasmine was still creeped by the wizard's touch. She felt like she wanted to wash her face.

"You did well, Jasmine. I'm proud of you," Draco said, kissing her forehead then hurrying back to Voldemort's tent.

He entered the tent and bowed to the Dark Lord.

"You asked for me, my Lord?" Draco asked him.

"Yes, Draco. Your daughter is quite lovely. She will become one of my consorts when she turns eighteen," the wizard said, "She will be given some authority while she serves me in this capacity. You will bring her to me on the night of her eighteenth birthday for deflowering. She must be untouched, Draco. If she is not a virgin I will not accept her, and be very angry. You know how I am when I am angry, Draco," he said coldly.

"Yes, my Lord," Draco responded, trembling a little.

Even though he served the Dark Lord well, Draco had received a taste of his wrath over the years. It had been terrible. He did not want to invite it again. Jasmine was a Malfoy. She would have to deal with the situation. It was an honor to be the consort of the Dark Lord. And he had been merciful in saying he would wait until Jasmine was eighteen. Voldemort was known to take witches as young as fourteen if he desired them. Draco suspected that the Dark Lord was waiting because of his position. Although he was a despot, Voldemort appreciated the work Draco did, so gave his daughter time to grow up. If she weren't mature by eighteen…the Dark Lord would definitely mature her quickly.

"Very well, Draco. You will be rewarded as well when she comes of age," the wizard said. "You may go and inform her she has the honor of being chosen by me."

"Thank you my Lord. I am sure she will be thrilled," Draco replied.

"Whether she is thrilled or not, Draco…she had been chosen. Make sure to tell her she must keep herself for me," Voldemort said, dropping his glamour for a moment. Draco trembled at the sight of him and dropped to one knee.

"Yes, my Lord," he said.

Voldemort replaced his glamour.

"Now go, Draco," the wizard said, flicking his hand toward the blonde wizard.

Draco backed out of the tent.

* * *

Mathias asked Jasmine how the interview went.

"Oh, he found me suitable immediately," Jasmine said shifting her eyes a bit.

Mathias noticed this, and shifted to aura view. He saw both her mental and emotional auras showed clear signs of being disturbed. Draco had gone to Jasmine immediately and told her the Dark Lord had chosen her to be his consort when she turned eighteen. The witch knew she couldn't protest the decision. She was going to have to let the wizard shag her when she came of age. Of course, there would be great benefits to being the wizard's consort…but Jasmine was no longer sure she wanted that kind of power. Mathias frowned at her.

"Something is wrong. What happened, Jasmine?" Mathias asked her.

Jasmine shook her head.

"I…I can't tell you, Mathias," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "I have to go and see about the elves."

Jasmine hurried off.

Mathias watched her go, his eyes narrowed. Something definitely was wrong here. He was going to find out what it was.

Peter Pettigrew walked out of the tent.

"Professor Severus Snape and Master Mathias Snape, the Great Lord will see you now," he announced.

Severus and Mathias approached the tent.

"Remember all I told you," Severus whispered to him.

Mathias nodded, his eyes squarely set on the tent opening, his heart pounding. He was finally going to meet the wizard he hated most in the world.

The wizard he planned to kill.

Mathias dropped his occlumency walls as they both entered the tent, Severus immediately lowering his eyes to the floor. Mathias stared at Voldemort, who looked back at him, scowling slightly. When Voldemort did not address them, Severus looked up slightly and saw his son meeting the Dark Lord's gaze evenly. He elbowed him.

Mathias sullenly dropped his eyes to the floor.

"Most impertinent," Voldemort thought as his eyes swept over the boy, "But I can feel his power. And his darkness. His willfulness can be handled with a few Crucios."

"Ah, the impertinence of teenagers, eh Severus?" Voldemort said to the Potions Master.

"Yes my Lord. My apologies. My son forgets himself," Severus said, his voice rather irritated. Mathias shifted his eyes toward his father then back at the floor. "Please allow me to introduce my son, Mathias John Snape."

"You may look at me, boy," Voldemort said.

Mathias raised his head and stared at the Dark Lord. Voldemort probed his mind. He saw no hatred there, but he did see Mathias dueling with rather advanced spells for a fourth year. Hell, they would be advanced for a seventh year. Many of the spells were dark and the boy appeared to be battling a black wizard. He noted they didn't actually hit each other with the darker spells, but shot over each other's head. The black wizard was equally as skilled. A pity he was inferior.

"You are quite skilled at spell casting, Mathias," Voldemort stated, his eyes narrowed.

Mathias didn't reply. Severus felt his stomach clutch. Mathias wasn't being cooperative at all.

"Damn it boy, talk!" the Potions Master thought desperately.

Suddenly Mathias said, "Yes, my Lord."

Voldemort smiled.

"Ah, so he speaks," the wizard said looking at the boy. He was the spitting image of his father in everything but his facial features. "Leave us, Severus."

Severus bowed.

"Yes, my Lord," the Potions Master replied, giving Mathias a severe "I will kill you myself if you fuck this up," look before he backed out of the tent.

Mathias got the message.

Voldemort looked at Peter.

"You may leave too, Peter," he said to the wizard.

"Yes, my Lord," Peter said, walking out of the tent. He was the only one permitted to turn his back to the Dark Lord.

Voldemort looked at Mathias steadily for a moment.

"So Mathias Snape, what do you think of me?" the Dark Lord asked him.

"I don't know you sir. I don't know what to think of you," Mathias replied evenly.

Voldemort nodded.

"An honest answer," he replied. He pulled out his wand and pointed it in the center of the room. A large stone appeared.

"Can you destroy that, Mathias?" he asked the young wizard.

Mathias looked at him. Voldemort sighed.

"I am not a teacher from Hogwarts or an Auror, Mathias. The rules don't apply here. Show me what you can do, boy," the wizard said evenly, "if you want me to give you a positive evaluation."

Mathias pulled out his wand and blasted the stone to powder. Outside, everyone stopped talking as they heard the blast, wondering what was going on. Severus' heart was pounding. What was happening in there?

Voldemort's eyebrows rose.

"Such power in one so young. How old are you now, boy?" he asked him.

"Fifteen, my Lord," Mathias replied.

"Impressive," the Dark Lord said thoughtfully. He pulled out his wand and created a much larger stone.

"Destroy that one," the wizard instructed.

Mathias obliged him, blasting the stone so powerfully that dust showered them both. Voldemort scourgified himself, then Mathias. The entire tent shuddered as if it would fall and the guests were all staring at it. Jasmine looked extremely worried. She turned to her father.

"What's going on in there?" she asked him, concerned for Mathias.

"Hopefully the Dark Lord is just testing Severus' son," Draco replied, "And not killing him."

Jasmine paled as she looked at the tent, praying Mathias was all right.

As the dust settled Voldemort said, "Show me some dark magic, boy. I know you do it."

"I need something to focus on," Mathias said, "Something made of wood."

Voldemort created a stump for him. Mathias looked at it then raised his wand and muttered a spell. A stream of magma issued from his wand tip, landing on the stump and reducing it to ash instantly.

"Now, that's a nasty little spell," the Dark Lord said with approval. He eyed Mathias.

"Can you cast Unforgivables?" he asked the young wizard.

If he could, that meant not only did he break the law, but was clever enough to have learned to use the spells without getting caught by the Ministry.

"Yes," Mathias responded.

Now Voldemort was very impressed. How could one so young cast a Killing curse? He would have to have strong intent, murderous intent for that. And the Crucio required cruelty to work…the Imperio a very strong desire to control. Murderous intent…cruelty, a strong desire for control? Mathias Snape was shaping up to be quite a prize indeed.

"Peter!" the Dark Lord called.

Peter Pettigrew instantly appeared.

"Yes, my Lord?" he asked.

"Bring me an animal," he said, "Anything you can find."

"Yes, my Lord," he said, disappearing.

After a while Peter came back with a little white poodle with a pink bow. Jasmine watched him walk by with her mother's dog. Eloise had a thing for muggle animals. Normally the dog would be traveling with her, but was left behind this time.

"What are you doing? That's Sweet Sweet. She belongs to my mother!" Jasmine demanded. Sweet Sweet was a pampered little thing, but a very sweet dog.

"The Dark Lord needs it," Peter replied, not stopping.

"Needs it for what? Bring her back!" Jasmine said, starting to follow him.

Draco stopped her.

"Stop it, Jasmine. If the Dark Lord wants Sweet Sweet, he can have her. He can have anything he asks for," the wizard said.

"But what is he going to do to her?" Jasmine asked.

Draco knew most likely the dog would die.

"I'll get your mother another dog," he said.

Jasmine's eyes went wide.

"But father," she protested.

Draco spun on her.

"I said I would get your mother another dog, Jasmine! Stop questioning me and go see about the guests! Now!" Draco yelled at her.

Jasmine stared at her father as everyone looked at them. He had yelled at her. And in public. Her eyes started to glisten and she took one more look at the tent before running inside the Manor.

Peter brought Sweet Sweet into the tent. Mathias looked at the pretty white poodle and his heart sank. Peter sat the dog down in front of Voldemort. Sweet Sweet wagged her tail when she looked at Mathias, then growled at the Dark Lord.

"Do the Imperious curse," the Dark Lord said. "Make her walk on her hind legs and do somersaults."

Mathias looked at the cute little dog.

"Couldn't we use a niffler? This dog belongs to someone, my Lord," Mathias said.

"No, we will use this animal," Voldemort replied in a show of power.

The Dark Lord made a large gesture with his wand.

"This tent is protected. The Unforgivables will not be detected by the Ministry," the Dark Lord said. "Now, the Imperious."

Mathias cast the spell, and the startled dog stood up on her hind legs and started to walk around. It was easy to see the poor creature was terrified. Then she did several somersaults, yelping with fear. Mathias was about to release her.

"No…she will run. Now do the Crucio spell," the wizard directed.

Mathias scowled at the wizard, but remembered his father warning him to do whatever the Dark Lord asked.

With hatred in his heart, Mathias cast the spell on Sweet Sweet.

"Crucio!" he said, and the dog began screaming and shuddering. He held it on her for a few seconds then let her go. But Sweet Sweet was too small to handle such a curse, and she fell over, trembling and seizuring horribly. Mathias could hear the poor dog's bones cracking. Without Voldemort's urging he pointed his wand at her.

"Avada Kedavra!" he cried, his black eyes glistening as the dread green light enveloped the shuddering dog's small body.

Sweet Sweet fell still, released from her pain. Mathias turned his black eyes on Voldemort, hiding the hatred seething inside of him. There was no reason to kill someone's pet. A niffler would have been fetched for the wizard immediately.

"Are you satisfied, my Lord?" he asked him.

Voldemort looked at him speculatively.

"Yes. Yes I am, Mathias Snape. You are extremely powerful for a fifteen-year-old wizard. Despite your mudblood mother…"

Here Mathias fought to keep from bristling. Voldemort calling his mother a mudblood was grounds for hexing…in his case, murder. For a moment, the boy thought about casting the Killing curse on him. But if it failed all hell would break loose. He needed Andreas. They had a pact that they would face him together. Andreas made him promise not to do anything stupid.

"…you seem to have quite a developed magical signature," the Dark Lord finished.

"My mother is a very powerful witch. She is a Spells Mistress," Mathias said to him, trying to defend Hermione without coming across as being belligerent.

"I am aware of your mother's ability. Still she is tainted, as are you. But in your case, Mathias, you can have quite a bright future ahead of you as one of my Inner Circle deatheaters. You will be greatly respected and feared, and when I take over the wizarding world, you will be given a position of authority. I find you suitable, Mathias Snape. You may go. Send your father in."

Mathias turned his back on Voldemort and walked out.

Voldemort scowled. The boy was going to be difficult, but worth the work. Voldemort wanted him, and would have him.

Severus walked in and bowed low.

"Yes, my Lord?" he stated.

"You may look at me, Severus," the Dark Lord said. The Potions Master straightened.

"I believe sparing your son was wise on my part. He is extremely powerful. Were you aware he can cast Unforgivables?" the Dark Lord asked him.

Severus' eyes fell on the dead poodle.

"No, I wasn't my Lord," he said darkly.

Voldemort chuckled.

"Now, now, Severus. Don't be angry at the boy. He has great power which will only grow more powerful when he reaches manhood. He is also quite cunning to have learned those spells without being discovered. Not many fifteen-year-olds have enough darkness in them to cast Unforgivables. You should be proud. I want him for my inner circle. He will become one of my personal bodyguards. But he is in great need of direction. He does not follow protocol well. He looked at me directly when he arrived, he turned his back to me when he exited, and questioned me when the animal was brought in for the demonstration. Next time I see the boy, I want him suitably deferential. If you don't teach him, Severus…I will."

"Yes, my Lord," Severus replied, relieved Mathias hadn't been crucio'd.

"Very well, Severus. You may go," the Dark Lord said dismissing him.

"Yes, my Lord," Severus said backing out of the tent and heaving a sigh of relief. Mathias was waiting for him, and the wizard's face turned black.

Severus strode past him.

"Come on," he hissed.

"Shit," Mathias thought, hurrying after his father. Every eye was on the boy as he passed. What had he and the Dark Lord been doing? Normally every interview was a rather quiet affair. Without knowing it, Mathias Snape became a matter of interest for many curious witches and wizards. Many would have their eye on him.

Mathias caught up with his father as they headed out of Malfoy Manor to a spot where they could apparate.

"You didn't listen to me, Mathias. You could have been crucio'd or worse. I taught you the proper protocol for dealing with the Dark Lord," he seethed at the boy.

"But dad, I got in there and it all went right out my head," Mathias lied. He'd wanted to challenge the wizard.

"Well, the next time you meet him, you'd better plug up all your orifices, Mathias…because if you do not show him the proper respect, you will be tortured," the dark wizard replied.

They walked through the large gate and past security. Severus stopped and put his arm around Mathias' shoulder.

"When you and I get back to Hogwarts, we're going to have a long talk about your spell work. You are going to tell me every single spell you know, Mathias. Every one. If I think you are holding out, I will not hesitate to give you my own special brew of Veritaserum. Do you understand me?" Severus asked him.

"Yes sir," Mathias said sullenly.

Well, he would have to give up the spells. But at least his use of the Old Arts could be kept a secret.

Together, father and son disapparated.

* * *

Severus and Mathias appeared in Severus' bedroom. The Potions Master silently strode into the study, followed by his son and pointed to the armchair in front of the fireplace, which was unlit.

"Sit down," he said imperiously.

Mathias pulled at his collar.

"Dad, can't I go and take these robes off first? They're killing me," Mathias complained.

"Your robes killing you are the least of your problems, boy. Unfasten the damn collar and sit down now!" Severus roared at him, his face twisted in anger.

Mathias quickly dropped in the chair and unfastened his collar and the next fastener. Severus pulled open his desktop drawer and took out parchment, then picked up a quill and inkbottle, carried them over to where Mathias was sitting and set them down on the small table between the two chairs.

"Start writing," he said to the boy.

Mathias looked up at him, then shifted the armchair around so he was facing the small table. He picked up the quill, dipped it in the ink and started writing. Severus walked over to his liquor cabinet and fixed himself a large firewhiskey, then returned to the other armchair and sat down, watching his son write.

Mathias had really taken a chance with Voldemort. The Potions Master suspected the boy had been disrespectful on purpose. He figured the Dark Lord withheld himself simply because he truly wanted Mathias in his inner circle. What a perfect position that would be for an assassination. Severus never qualified for inner circle security because he worked at Hogwarts and could not put in the time required. If he had been Voldemort's bodyguard, he might have found a way to kill him long ago.

The wizard took a sip of his firewhiskey and grimaced slightly as the welcome fire of it burned his throat, then looked at his son speculatively as he wrote line after line. Mathias had very neat handwriting, like his mother. Severus wrote dragonscratch for the most part unless he was placing notes on the board for his class. As a Potions Master creating new elixirs, he made his own notes purposely hard to read so his processes would be difficult to steal.

Mathias wrote two neat columns of spells. Just as Severus thought he had finished, Mathias flipped the parchment over and continued writing. Severus' eyebrows rose. He had to have listed over one hundred spells on the parchment already.

Finally, Mathias finished and handed the parchment to his father. Severus read it over and paled at some of the spells. His eyes shifted to his son and back to the parchment. Most of the spells were decidedly offensive. The boy knew enough dark spells to hold an army at bay. Severus put the parchment down.

"Mathias…my gods," he began in a rather choked voice, "You can really do all of these spells? Or do you just have a basic knowledge of them?"

Mathias looked at him.

"I can do every one," he replied.

"There are over two hundred spells listed here. When did you start learning these?" his father inquired.

"My first year. Andreas helped me," Mathias said.

Severus' eyebrows rose.

"So Andreas can cast these spells as well?" Severus asked him.

"Yes sir. He is very talented," Mathias replied rather proudly.

Severus sat there silently for a moment. It occurred to him that his teenage son might be able to outduel him. With a repertoire of spells like this, he could probably outduel most adult wizards. Then, there were the Unforgivables. It had been quite a shock to learn Mathias was capable of casting them.

"How did you manage to learn to cast Unforgivables without detection?" Severus asked him curiously. That was quite an accomplishment.

"I used mum's lab," the boy replied.

Of course. Hermione's lab was shielded so she wouldn't attract Aurors when she worked.

Severus studied his son for a couple of minutes, saying nothing. Mathias shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Finally, Severus spoke.

"Mathias, why do you feel the need to learn so many spells?" he asked him.

Mathias shrugged.

"I guess I just like collecting spells. I probably got it from mum," the boy lied.

Severus looked at him, then stood up abruptly. He started to leave the room.

"Dad, where are you going?" Mathias asked him.

Severus turned to him, his nostrils flared.

"To get the veritaserum," he replied.

Mathias sprang from the chair.

"No…don't do that, Dad. I'll tell you the truth…I swear," the boy pleaded.

Severus stared at him a moment then slowly walked back to the armchair and sat down. Relieved, Mathias returned to his seat.

"Now tell me," Severus said. "Everything."

And Mathias did just that, excluding his soul journey and use of the Old Arts. He wanted to keep that a secret still. But he told enough of it in such a convincing way that Severus believed him. The Potions Master already knew Andreas had powerful divination ability, and paled when Mathias related the mass murder scene at the Ministry and in the streets and homes. Also the death of Andreas' people, and lastly, he shared his own vision of the grisly scene he witnessed of both Severus and Hermione being killed by the Dark Lord. Finally he told his father about the pact that he and Andreas made to kill Voldemort when they came of age.

Severus stared at his son in amazement.

"How long has it been since you witnessed these visions, Mathias?" Severus asked him.

"It was in my first year," Mathias said.

Severus scowled.

"You kept this a secret from us for almost four years?" Severus said, his face in a snarl now.

"I didn't see what telling anyone about it would do. I was only eleven, Dad and a first year. Either you wouldn't have believed me, or would have been worried for all this time. I worried enough for everyone. But I started learning spells because the future can be changed. I plan to change it. Andreas and I are going to find a way to kill Voldemort before I take the Mark," Mathias said. "Once I renounce you and mum, that is when he kills you both. I can't do that. I won't do that," the boy declared adamantly.

Severus' snarl faded away as he looked at his son. What a courageous, resourceful boy he was. Then he thought of something.

"Does Jasmine know of your plans?" Severus asked him.

Mathias gave his father a look as if he were stark, raving nutters.

"So she could blab it to her dad? No. But we did teach her a couple of spells and how to duel a bit. But nothing major. Just to make her feel a part of it. Plus it was fun hexing her," Mathias said, smirking a bit. "She'd be furious and chase us around shooting spells at us. It was great."

Severus couldn't help smirking a bit. It seemed there was still some youthful exuberance in his son, though one couldn't tell by looking at the boy. Well, this explained his abrupt change of demeanor. He had the wizarding world on his shoulders too. And the boy had kept it to himself for years.

Severus made a decision.

"Mathias, you, Andreas and I are going to go to Dumbledore, and Andreas is going to show him his vision. Is there a time frame for this that you know of?" Severus asked his son.

"I think it happens after I turn eighteen," Mathias said.

Severus nodded.

"Well, we are going to take this to Dumbledore and Andreas will share his vision with both of us. If this is a possibility, the Order needs to prepare for it…have a contingency plan of some type. As for your goal of killing Voldemort, you are aligned with me now. You, Andreas and I will start training immediately. You both need to know how to duel with a deatheater and how to fight one. I will also familiarize you with the Dark Lord's stronghold, though I don't see how Andreas will be able to enter it, being that he is black. Though he is talented and would be an excellent addition to the Dark Lord's ranks, because of racism, he is excluded from consideration," Severus said.

"He'll get in," Mathias said, "I don't know how right now, but we have three years to figure it out."

Severus nodded.

"We can't tell mum about this," Mathias said to his father.

"No, we can't," Severus agreed. "She'd kill us before the Dark Lord would."

Mathias nodded. His mother would forbid it. Or attempt to. Hermione would know she couldn't stop them, but her knowing what they planned would make for a lot of unnecessary tension in the household. It was better and kinder she didn't know their plans. Contemplating the loss of both her lover and her son would be too much for the witch.

Mathias studied his father.

"So you aren't angry at me, Dad?" he asked the Potions Master.

Severus looked at him steadily.

"Being angry at you, Mathias would not change the situation. You already know the spells. I would have preferred that you came to me early on, but then again…you are a Slytherin, and Slytherins are known for keeping important information secret until they can utilize it. I also was quite closed-mouthed at your age. As for your desire to kill Voldemort, I understand it, as I do your desire not to serve him. Yet, as his bodyguard you would have a better opportunity to kill him, but I fear if we wait that long, the vision will come to pass and thousands will die. We want to avoid that."

"And I want to avoid you and mum being killed," Mathias thought to himself.

True, the death of thousands was a terrible thought, but Mathias was rather selfish in his thinking. It was the possible death of his parents that was foremost in his mind as a reason to kill Voldemort.

"All right, Mathias, you may return to Slytherin house and inform Andreas of our plans. Do you think he will take it well?" Severus asked him.

"He'll deal with it. Andreas is cool that way," Mathias responded. "He'll probably like the idea of dueling with you and learning how to fight deatheaters."

"Good," Severus said as he watched Mathias rise.

"I'll see you later, Dad," the boy said, giving his father a rare smile.

"Goodbye son," Severus replied.

Mathias walked to the study wall and pulled the torch, opening the private entrance and exiting.

Severus pulled out his wand and lit a fire in the fireplace, staring into the flames. He had no idea what a treasure he tried to make Hermione rid herself of fifteen years ago. He was glad the witch had her own convictions and kept Mathias. Outside of Hermione herself, he was a source of great pride for the Potions Master. Imagine, holding all that in for almost four years and preparing himself to do battle with the most evil wizard in existence. And he had shown no fear of Voldemort today. He was already challenging the wizard. Severus would have to rein him in. Though occlumency might hide his thoughts, it did not hide his actions. Voldemort would not be so controlled next time. But the next time Mathias would be in his presence would be three years from now.

That was plenty of time for change.

* * *

Jasmine returned to Hogwarts that evening. Although it was the weekend, she decided to leave the Manor. She was angry with her father and upset about the day's events. Lord Voldemort was not the pillar of hope that everyone imagined him to be…not in her estimation. Any wizard who would put a claim on a witch's virginity simply because he had the power to do so, had no morals. And a wizard who would kill someone's pet without any consideration was someone without a heart.

She walked into the common room to see a group of Slytherin girls gathered around a pretty, redheaded seventh year, Carla Moonswood. They were chattering animatedly. Jasmine drew closer to hear what was going on.

"Yes! Lord Voldemort wants me as his consort. Me! Can you imagine? The most powerful wizard in the world wants me. And he is soooo handsome. I turn eighteen next week," Carla gushed. "I know it's going to be wonderful."

Jasmine's eyebrows went up as she heard this. She pushed through the crowd of witches.

"You want to be the Dark Lord's consort?" she asked Carla, amazed.

Carla looked at Jasmine as if she were a fool.

"Of course I want to be his consort. That will raise my status considerably," she replied. "And I will have my choice of wizards afterwards, when he releases me, because I will always have the Dark Lord's favor, and most wizards covet that. That gives me a lot of power, Jasmine. A lot of power."

"But what about choice? Doesn't choice matter?" Jasmine asked her. "What if you didn't want to shag him? You'd still have to."

Carla smirked at her.

"But I don't have that problem, Jasmine. I do want to shag him. Why should I give it away to some young wizard for nothing, when I can give myself to the Dark Lord and get something out of it? Gods," the witch said, scowling at the witch, "All I have to do is make sure I don't shag anyone in the next week and I'm in the clear. Voldemort won't touch me if I'm not a virgin. So I have to break up with Georgie. He's going to be broken-hearted…but how can he compete with the Dark Lord?"

The other witches murmured agreement, and they all started talking again. Jasmine stared at Carla as she told everyone she would give them details when she came back. They all tittered with excitement. Jasmine shook her head and exited the common room, walking slowly up the stairs.

Carla thought being a consort to Voldemort was a wonderful opportunity. Jasmine shuddered as she remembered how cold his touch was. As if he were dead or something. And her father went along with it. But then again, Malfoy men always considered the women of their family to be tools they could use to manipulate others. And the women were trained to be that way. Her own grandmother was slowly molding her into that kind of witch. One whose entire life would be manipulation, breeding, ordering house elves around and throwing useless parties. Suddenly a life of privilege seemed as if it would be a life of luxurious incarceration.

Jasmine Malfoy was starting to see life as it really was, and she found she didn't like what she was seeing. She had always believed her father worked with Voldemort, but today she saw he was nothing more than a servant, and a frightened servant at that. But disobedience was not a Malfoy woman's trait. They were obedient, if cunning, finding ways around the orders they were given by the men but still coming out on top.

The witch entered her room, warded her door and removed her robes. She fell on the bed, her eyes filling with tears. Her whole world was falling apart and she saw that she was nothing but a pawn to her father. He had said he would be rewarded greatly when she became Voldemort's consort. He was nothing more than a pimp. He was prostituting her in exchange for the Dark Lord's favor and she had no choice in the matter. She couldn't run away. Her father would find her. Besides, she had no place to go.

Jasmine flipped over to her back and looked up at the ceiling, tears streaming from her eyes. Well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be the Dark Lord's consort. He might let her go early if she made a bad showing. She sniffed and wiped her tears away.

She was lucky. Carla Moonswood was going to be with him next week and promised to tell everyone what it was like. She could find out how the wizard was…then she'd have three years to figure out what to do.

One thing was for sure, however. She wouldn't target Mathias like her father wanted any longer. Actually, she was quite uncomfortable reporting on his actions anyway, though she made sure they were all positive. She never let her father know the young wizard didn't agree with the DKV line. Jasmine scowled. After seeing how Voldemort was, she wasn't sure the DKV knew what he really was about. It seemed as if they all were being misled about him.

Jasmine suddenly realized why the parties her father threw were so selective. It wasn't because only the best of wizarding society were given the privilege to meet with the wizard, but to keep the truth about the Dark Lord's cruel, lascivious ways from the public eye. She doubted the DKV knew about his bevy of consorts. She and Mathias as well as the other students were evaluated only because they were the children of inner circle members. Most joined the DKV through the organization and were not handpicked, so didn't meet him personally. All they knew about him was what they were told or what they'd read.

Jasmine stared at the ceiling. If the DKV was so wrong about their leader, then they could be wrong about their attitudes toward muggle-borns and half-bloods. Mathias was a half-blood, but a powerful wizard, and highly intelligent. He acted better than most purebloods. And Andreas, although he was black, had very good qualities and was a loyal friend to Mathias. He was also smart and gifted in magic. He was no different than anyone else in actuality. His color didn't seem to make a real difference at all. Jasmine found that her dislike of the wizard was more because of his closeness to Mathias than his skin color or character. She was jealous, plain and simple.

Now the witch rolled to her side, thinking again of becoming Voldemort's consort. She always knew that she was meant to use sex as a weapon, and thought that her first sexual experience would be one based on personal gain, rather than passion, but nothing like this. Gods, what a mess she was in.

She wouldn't let anyone know she had been chosen to be Voldemort's consort. True, it would elevate her status in Slytherin house, but she didn't want to share the information. She had a feeling Mathias wouldn't think it was such an honor. She knew he wouldn't. She cared what he thought about her, and knew he wouldn't respect her if he knew she intended on following through with Voldemort's plans for her, choice or no choice. Though Jasmine wanted to talk to someone about her situation, she didn't know whom she could talk to without it getting back to Voldemort.

This was just the kind of information the DKV looked for. Someone speaking against the Dark Lord. The witch was sure it would be hushed up from the general membership, but would get to Voldemort somehow. That would be very bad and bring shame to her father…not that she cared right now. Jasmine realized she couldn't count on his support concerning this. Her grandmother would be no help either. She probably would be thrilled Jasmine was chosen. Voldemort was powerful, and Narcissa appreciated power.

Jasmine sighed and closed her eyes. Her head was starting to hurt.

She tried to sleep, but sleep just wouldn't come.

* * *

When Mathias informed Andreas that the thestral was out of the stable, the wizard didn't seem surprised or upset at all. Mathias eyed him, his nostrils flared.

"You KNEW this would happen, Andreas," he said accusingly.

Andreas smirked at him.

"I wasn't sure it would happen, Mathias…but I thought it might. It is a good thing to be aligned with your father. He is very powerful and brave," the wizard said.

"But why didn't you tell me?" Mathias demanded as Andreas took two pumpkin pasties out of his sweets stash and offered him one.

Mathias took it, still scowling at his brother as he calmly opened his pastie and took a bite.

"If I told you, it might have changed everything," Andreas replied.

Mathias' frown slowly disappeared. Andreas was right. If he had known he was going to have to tell his father everything, he would have been a wreck, and things could have turned out much differently.

"Is there anything else you're holding back that I should know, Andreas?" Mathias asked him, opening his own pumpkin pastie.

Andreas chewed, swallowed and looked at him.

"That you should know? No," the wizard replied obliquely, "Now tell me about your meeting with the Dark Lord."

"Gods, I wanted to kill him," Mathias breathed, his black eyes glinting.

Andreas nodded.

"Of course you did. I am glad you didn't try. It would have ruined everything," Andreas said.

Mathias recounted everything to Andreas, including the all black auras and Voldemort's true appearance. The wizard shook his head as Mathias told him of his disrespect.

"You are lucky he didn't kill you. The Dark Lord hates to be disrespected," Andreas said in a low voice. "It was very foolish, brother."

"It might have been foolish, but it felt good, Andreas," Mathias replied, "but I can't do it again."

"The next time you meet Voldemort, you will be doing worse things than turning your back on him," Andreas said. "He will not see you until you are about to graduate. And that is when we will strike. Before you take the mark."

"How will we get you into the fortress, Andreas?" Mathias asked him.

The wizard looked at him.

"I believe your father will be able to help us there. Possibly your mother too," Andreas replied.

Mathias looked at him horrified.

"My mum? My mum can know nothing about this, Andreas. Trust me, she will ruin everything."

Andreas gave him a knowing little smirk.

"We'll see, Mathias," he replied, "We'll see."

* * *

Dumbledore took Andreas' vision very seriously and immediately set about developing a contingency plan with the top members of the Order in the case of mass violence. A large recruitment drive was about to begin. The Order needed more members. They would have to monitor large events, though Albus believed the timeline would fall near Mathias' graduation. Neither Severus, Andreas nor Mathias let the Headmaster know about their plan to try and take Voldemort down before anything happened. Albus was still stuck on the Prophecy about Harry killing the despot. The boys did not tell Severus about the false Prophecy either, because then they would have to tell him about the Dark Soul of the World, and their journeys to meet it. It was just too complicated.

Severus drew up a practice schedule that was to start at the beginning of the week after next. The Potions Master reminded them of the importance of secrecy concerning their training. He needn't have bothered. Neither Andreas nor Mathias would ever say a word about it.

* * *

Jasmine waited anxiously in the common room for Carla Moonswood to return from her night with Voldemort. She was supposed to return the following evening, and it was now after seven and she still hadn't returned.

For the first time in her life, Jasmine had a problem getting rid of Mathias. The young wizard noticed that Jasmine had become rather somber like himself over the passing days. She was not her usual bossy, self-assured self. The witch had improved over the years, yet still had claws which she occasionally pulled out and raked at him with, but she hadn't been the same since meeting with Voldemort.

Mathias tried everything, including not speaking to her, to make her tell him what happened. The young wizard had been rather shocked that Jasmine didn't seem to care he wasn't talking to her. Not too much rattled Mathias, but this did. He knew Jasmine liked him very much. He could see it in her emotional aura, which would grow quite pink whenever he approached. But now, there was next to no pinkness when she saw him. It was as if all feeling for him had died. He also noticed her motivational aura, which had always been a deep, ambitious green had also lightened considerably, as if she had no ambition at all. Something was very wrong with Jasmine. And she wouldn't reveal what it was.

He and Andreas invited her to come dueling with them in an effort to get her spirits up, prepared to take a few hexes from her, but for the first time, Jasmine refused to go. Mathias doggedly tried to make her change her mind, then wanted to know what was more important than dueling? They had taken exams and all that was left was free time.

"I'm waiting for Carla Moonswood," Jasmine finally told him.

Mathias frowned at her.

"Don't tell me you are part of that group who wants to know about what happened with Voldemort, Jasmine," he said, his black eyes searching her face.

"I'm curious," Jasmine said lamely.

"Well, I'm not. Voldemort is a pervert, I don't care what honor you witches think shagging him will bring. It doesn't seem like much of an honor to me," Mathias said darkly. "More like he's taking advantage of his power to get at all of you. How any witch in her right mind would want that, I don't understand."

Jasmine just stared at him for a moment.

"I'm waiting for Carla," she said.

"Fine then. Wait for her," Mathias said angrily.

He turned and walked over to Andreas, who was looking at Jasmine thoughtfully.

"She's changing," Andreas said to Mathias as they began to leave the common room.

"Yes," Mathias hissed, "Into a bloody idiot. I can't believe she'd get caught up in this, Andreas."

Andreas didn't say anything as they exited Slytherin house.

It wasn't his place.

* * *

Most of the witches had retired and it was going on ten o'clock. Mathias and Andreas had returned and gone up to their rooms. Only Jasmine and two other witches remained waiting for Carla in the common room.

"Maybe he liked her so much, he kept her for another night," one witch, Ethel Stone said. She was a seventh year, black-haired, gray-eyed with a pimply face.

"Wouldn't that be something?" the other witch, Sharon Grenadine gushed.

Jasmine didn't think it wonderful at all. She was a bit worried.

Suddenly someone entered the common room. It was Carla, and she didn't look too good. There was a grayish pallor to her skin and her eyes looked haunted. The two witches ran up to her.

"Carla! You're back. Tell us all the juicy details," they said, smiling at her. It was clear they were too thick to see the witch's condition.

Carla looked at them.

"I can't. I'm not allowed to tell anyone what happened. I'll get in trouble if the Dark Lord found out. He's very…private," the witch said.

The two witches exclaimed in disappointment.

"Nothing?" Sharon asked.

"Nothing," Carla said. "I'm tired and want to shower and go to bed."

Jasmine watched her walk up the stairs, and followed her.

"Carla?" Jasmine called to the witch as she stopped in front of her private room, preparing to let herself in. She looked at Jasmine.

"I can't say anything, Jasmine," she said, unwarding her door.

Jasmine looked at her desperately.

"But, but Carla, I need to know what happened. He chose me to be his consort too. When I turn eighteen," Jasmine said.

Carla stared at her.

"You've been chosen too?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Jasmine nodded.

Carla hesitated then gestured for her to come. Jasmine followed the witch into her room. She noticed Carla appeared to be moving quite slowly. She sat down in a wooden chair against the wall and watched as the witch began to undress.

"I wish I had let Georgie shag me now, Jasmine," she said to Jasmine as she unfastened her robes. "If I had, Voldemort would have never touched me. He might have punished me but it would have been better than doing what I did."

She let her robes fall, and Jasmine gasped.

Carla was naked beneath her robes. She was a very curvaceous witch, and normally her pale skin was flawless. But not now.

Jasmine brought her hand to her mouth, horrified.

"Oh my gods, Carla," she whispered.

"He did this to me," the witch said.

Carla's body had long scratches, bite marks and bruises all over her body. Her thighs were badly bruised.

"He said pain brought pleasure," Carla said in a hollow voice as she looked down at her body. She turned around and her back was covered in scratches too, and her buttocks black and blue.

"He beat me with a belt…then shagged me…everywhere, Jasmine. Any part of my body that had a hole, he penetrated. And he looks nothing like he did at the party. He looks…he looks like a monster in real life. Thin and scaly with red eyes."

Jasmine shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.

"And his cock…my gods, Jasmine…it moves by itself. Like a snake. I could feel it wriggling in my mouth. It tried to choke me," she said, "Jasmine…don't do it. Shag somebody before you turn eighteen. Run away. Something. He's horrible, worse than any nightmare you can imagine."

Carla shrugged on a housecoat and tied it around her, wincing.

"I can't believe people follow him, Jasmine. He is a monster. He looks and acts like one. He likes to torture and hurt people. I know because he did it to me. Don't become his consort. It might be status, but it isn't worth it. I dread going back to him," Carla said sinking on the bed and bursting into tears.

Jasmine stared at the witch, then walked over and tried to comfort her…but there was little she could do. She left Carla sobbing on her bed and returned to her own room as if in a living nightmare.

The very next day, Jasmine quit her position of secretary for the Young DKV club, citing she had other priorities. Her quitting was at first met with sadness, then anger, then threats.

"You know too much about us to quit, Jasmine," Franklin Urnston said, his blue eyes flashing at her.

"Too much about what? You follow the standard DKV line. That's no secret," the witch replied.

"You don't invest four years then just walk away," he seethed at her, starting to walk toward her.

Jasmine whipped out her wand and pointed it right between the wizard's eyes.

"You don't tell me what I can walk away from. I'm not a slave to the DKV. I'm free to do what I want, Franklin. Don't fucking threaten me, or you'll end up with an ass where your head should be," she said, backing out of the Room of Requirement and hurrying back to Slytherin house.

Franklin watched her go with narrowed eyes.

This wasn't over.

* * *

"You did what?" Mathias said in disbelief as they sat together at breakfast the next morning. He had been loading up his plate with bacon when Jasmine broke the news. Now his meat-filled hand hovered unmoving above his plate.

Andreas looked on. He didn't seem surprised at Jasmine's news.

"I quit the Young DKV club," Jasmine repeated non-chalantly, biting into her toast and jam.

Mathias stared at her, finally dropping his bacon on his plate.

"You've been a member of the DKV since your first year. You were always bragging about your position as secretary. Now you've quit? Why?" Mathias asked her.

"Just moving on. It was tedious taking all those notes meeting after meeting," she said.

Mathias frowned at her.

"You could have always just resigned the seat, Jasmine. You didn't have to quit…you know that. What's really going on?" Mathias demanded.

"I just wanted to quit, Mathias," she seethed at him. "Stop reading more into it than what it is!"

She bit a piece of bacon viciously.

"Jasmine, you haven't been yourself since meeting Voldemort," Mathias hissed at her. "I want to know what's going on, witch. Tell me."

"That's private and has nothing to do with you, Mathias Snape," she said, rising from the table and leaving the Great Hall in a huff.

Mathias looked after her.

"Gods, she's so aggravating," Mathias said.

Andreas didn't answer him. He was watching several Slytherins looking after Jasmine. They whispered to each other then rose and followed her.

Andreas hastily wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"I have to go, my brother," he said to Mathias, who was still eating.

"All right," Mathias said, "I'll see you in the common room. We can get in some dueling time."

Andreas nodded and exited the Great Hall.

He stood outside a moment, looking around, then walked quickly down the dungeon corridor. He heard a blast and began to run.

He saw the group of Slytherins firing hexes down the corridor. He slowed and saw that Jasmine was pressed into a niche, firing back at them. One of the students sported a huge pair of donkey ears.

Andreas made a great swooping motion over his head with his wand then pointed it at the attacking students.

"Petrificus Totalus!" he shouted, adding his signature to the spell.

Immediately every single student froze in place. He had cast the petrification spell en masse, hexing all of them at once. It was an adaptation Hermione had developed for her personal arsenal. Mathias had stolen it and taught Andreas.

Jasmine had heard Andreas' voice, then all the hexing stopped. She remained pressed into the niche, her chest heaving. Andreas walked through the frozen students. All of their eyes followed him as he approached the niche.

"Jasmine, you can come out now," he called to her. "They can't hex you now."

Jasmine peeked around the corner and saw all the students frozen in place. She stepped out and looked at them.

"How did you do that?" she asked Andreas, who twirled his wand before sticking it into his pocket.

"Just a little spell I know," he replied.

"I heard you cast the spell. It was a normal 'Petrificus Totalus,'" she said rather accusingly.

"With a bit of a twist," he said, smiling at her. "Are you all right? Did they get you?"

Jasmine shook her head.

"No…I was near the niche when I heard Franklin's voice as he tried to hex me. I dove into it before he could complete the incantation," she said, looking up at Andreas.

She owed the wizard one.

Andreas looked her over carefully to make sure she wasn't hit.

"Come. Let me escort you to Slytherin house," he said, offering Jasmine his arm.

The witch hesitated for a moment. Andreas looked at her soberly and jerked his arm. Jasmine took it. He smiled at her and nodded.

"I think, Jasmine, that you will soon be worth an entire herd of cows," he commented as he walked her towards the Slytherin common room.

Jasmine looked at him, feeling slightly outraged, though she didn't know why. Still, she didn't remove her arm from his. She felt quite safe.

"What?" she asked him, "Cows? What are you talking about, Andreas?"

Andreas tightened his hold on her arm.

"It is a private joke. I will tell you about it one day when you don't have your wand with you," he replied, smirking.

Jasmine scowled at him slightly. Then she said, "Thank you, Andreas."

The black wizard quirked an eyebrow at her.

"For what?" he asked.

"For helping me," she replied.

"It's what friends do, Jasmine. I couldn't let them harm you. You are a little sister. I will always protect you, now that you have your own mind," he said quietly.

"My own mind? What are you talking about, Andreas?" Jasmine asked.

"You have woken up, Jasmine. You are not an evil witch, though others would like to make you one. You are pushy and aggravating, but not evil," he said.

Jasmine tried to pull her arm out of his but Andreas held on tight, grinning at her.

"It is a compliment, believe me, Jasmine. Both Mathias and I like you pushy and aggravating," he said. "You wouldn't be Jasmine otherwise."

Jasmine ceased struggling and walked beside Andreas.

"But what do you mean, I have my own mind," she asked him.

"I mean," Andreas said, "That you are realizing things aren't what they seem in your pureblood world. You are beginning to think logically and reasonably. You are going through a difficult time," he said softly.

Jasmine looked up at the dark wizard, her ice-blue eyes meeting his black ones.

"Yes…yes I am, Andreas," she admitted. "A very difficult time."

Andreas looked down at her.

"You can tell me about it if you like," Andreas said to the witch. "I would tell no one. Not even Mathias. I am good that way."

Jasmine looked at him. It was true. She had never heard Andreas talk about anyone's personal business. He was very quiet for the most part unless with Mathias, who was also quite closed mouth.

"Really?" she asked him.

Andreas nodded.

"Sometimes, Jasmine…it is the most unlikely person who will be there for you when you need him. In your case, I am that unlikely person," the wizard replied.

Jasmine looked up at him, and suddenly her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Andreas…about how I've treated you…" she began.

Andreas shushed her.

"That Jasmine is no more. She was false. This is the true Jasmine on my arm…and this Jasmine is my sister. You aren't black-eyed, but that doesn't matter. I will be here for you as long as I am able to lift a wand," he said to her.

Jasmine blinked back her tears. He had forgiven her for being so horrible. Without a single angry word…without making her humble herself. How good a friend was Andreas Mbutu? How good a friend had he always been?

They entered the Slytherin common room arm in arm. The other students all stopped what they were doing and stared at them. Jasmine Malfoy on Andreas Mbutu's arm? They couldn't believe it. They all knew she hung out with Mathias and Andreas, but knew it was only because of Mathias that she was even in Andreas' presence. At least, that was what they thought up to now.

Jasmine looked around the common room.

"What are you all looking at?" she demanded imperiously.

Everyone quickly went back to what they were doing, sneaking glances at the two friends.

"Would you like to talk about what it is troubling you, Jasmine?" Andreas asked her, his dark eyes looking at her intently.

Jasmine thought about it. Andreas knew all about unfairness. He lived through it every day.

"Yes I would, Andreas," she replied.

"My room or yours?" he asked her.

Jasmine thought about it. It was time for a leap of faith.

"Yours," she responded.

Everyone in the common room watched as Jasmine and Andreas ascended the stairs that led to the boys' dormitory. The rumor mill was going to be grinding at high speed today. It was obvious Andreas was taking Jasmine to his private domicile.

Andreas walked Jasmine to his room, unwarded it and opened the door. Jasmine walked in and gasped at all the beautiful tribal art and décor.

"This room is amazing, Andreas," she said, studying the statues and masks. His room smelled wonderful as well, spicy and exotic. "I never imagined you lived like this."

"It is a bit cultural," he replied, smiling at her and offering her a chair. "But it's home. Please sit down, Jasmine."

Jasmine sat down and Andreas took the other chair.

They looked at each other.

"Now Jasmine, tell Dr. Mbutu all about it," he said.

Jasmine gave him a puzzled look.

"Doctor?" she asked him, "What's a doctor?"

"Never mind," Andreas said. He had forgotten Jasmine was very sheltered when it came to things muggle. "It was a small joke. A very small one. You can start talking whenever you feel like it."

And Jasmine did.

Andreas and Jasmine talked for over an hour before Mathias knocked on the door. Andreas opened it, and the wizard strode in.

"Andreas, a bunch of Slytherins are frozen in the corridor. I know it was you. What happened?" he asked. Then his eyes fell on Jasmine, who gave him a little wave.

"Jasmine? What are you doing here?" Mathias asked, very surprised.

"Andreas and I were reaching an understanding," she replied, smiling at the black wizard, who smiled back at her.

"And did you reach one?" Mathias asked her.

Jasmine looked at Andreas soberly.

"I believe we have," Jasmine replied softly.

"Good. It took you long enough," Mathias said snarkily, "Come on, Andreas. Let's go practice dueling."

Jasmine's face fell. Mathias looked at her.

"And you too, Jasmine. All those petrified Slytherins were Young DKV members. It's not hard to tell what happened. You need to learn more powerful defensive and offensive spells to make them leave you alone. Let's go," he said, turning and striding out of the room.

Andreas stood up, as did Jasmine. They smiled at each other and followed him.

The "Dark Trio" was truly a trio now.

The gods help anyone that tried to get between them.

* * *

Severus stopped stock still in his tracks as he saw a group of students standing immobile in the dungeons corridor. He was just returning from breakfast. The Potions Master scowled, strode through the petrified students and studied them. One student had a gigantic set of donkey ears on his head. The Potions Master fought back a smirk.

The students' eyes shifted back and forth wildly. They had been frozen in place and by their positions and the way their wands were held, they all had been dueling. But dueling whom? Severus counted them. There were nine students, all frozen. No single spell caster could do that…unless.

Severus arched an eyebrow. This looked like Hermione's adapted Petrificus spell. That's the only spell he knew of that could freeze several individuals at once. And if it were Hermione's spell…that could only mean one of two people cast it. Mathias or Andreas.

Severus pulled out his wand to release the closest Slytherin. But the spell wouldn't release her. Severus frowned. There was a signature on the spell…now he was absolutely sure either Mathias or Andreas was behind this.

The Potions Master heard voices and looked up the corridor to see Andreas, Jasmine and Mathias walking towards him, engaged in conversation. He ducked back into the niche Jasmine had been hiding in to see what they would do when they arrived at the students. They walked past the Potions Master, and right through the crowd of stuck Slytherins without paying them any mind. Severus stepped out of the niche.

"Excuse me," he called politely.

All three of the trio stopped and turned. They immediately went pale when they saw the Potions Master. "Please come back here. All three of you."

Severus' polite tone did not match the way he looked at the trio as they returned, passing through the Young DKV members and stopping in front of the Potions Master. He glowered down at them.

"All right. Which of you two are responsible for this?" he asked, pointedly looking at Andreas, then Mathias.

"I am sir," Andreas responded.

"Remove the spell, Mr. Mbutu," Severus said evenly.

Andreas turned to the students, whirled his wand over his head the opposite way and remove the spell. The DKV members could move again.

"That black bastard hexed us when our backs were turned!" Franklin said, pointing his wand at Andreas. Mathias and Jasmine quickly pulled out their wands and leaped to Andreas' side.

"You take that back, you bigot!" Mathias said in a dangerous voice.

"Yeah," Jasmine added, her eyes like ice as she stared at her former comrade.

"Fuck both of you, you darkie-lovers!" Franklin spat back at Mathias and Jasmine.

Severus raised his eyebrows. Didn't anybody notice he was here?

Apparently not.

"Everyone put their wands away this instant!" he roared, startling all the students who hurriedly complied. They glared at each other hatefully however.

"You are all in the same house, yet fighting as if you were standing against Gryffindors. Now I want to know what happened here," Severus said in a quiet yet authoritative voice.

Everyone stood around sullenly, not speaking. Slytherins weren't tattlers. Severus scowled at them.

"I see. Maybe I should help you along with the story then," the Professor said silkily. "Now, Andreas attacked all of you when your backs were turned, correct?"

All of the DKV members nodded. Franklin had already said this much.

"But yet, all of your wands were out in hexing positions facing front. Who were you attacking?" Severus asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

Again they didn't answer. Severus turned to Mathias.

"Were they attacking you?" he asked his son.

"No sir," Mathias said, his eyes shifting helplessly toward Jasmine.

Severus looked at the witch, and then at Andreas.

"Since I doubt Mr. Mbutu would interfere on behalf of someone who was not his friend, I assume you were the one under attack, Miss Malfoy," Severus said to Jasmine, who dropped her head.

"Yes sir," she said.

"Why were they attacking you, Miss Malfoy?" Severus asked her.

Jasmine looked at the Professor, then at Franklin.

"I think you should ask Franklin, Professor. I heard him casting a hex behind me and dove into the niche before he could hit me with it," she said, her eyes glittering at the accused wizard.

Severus looked at Franklin, who bowed his head and wouldn't say anything. The rest of the DKV members avoided the Potions Master's eyes.

"Well, Mr. Urnston. Is this true?" Severus asked. "Did you attempt to hex Miss Malfoy when her back was turned and then all of you continued to try to attack her when she ran into the niche? Why would you do this to a housemate?"

Franklin stubbornly did not say a word. The DKV taught that when a member was caught doing wrong, to say nothing and to never admit guilt.

"It's because she quit the young DKV, dad…I mean Professor," Mathias said as Severus frowned at him. He was always supposed to address his father formally in front of others to avoid outright charges of favoritism and nepotism. Charges that were actually quite true.

Severus looked at Jasmine with both eyebrows arched.

"You quit the Young DKV, Miss Malfoy?" Severus asked her.

"Yes sir. I decided…it wasn't for me," she said quietly.

"I see. And your ex-club members didn't take this well," he said, frowning at Franklin and the others.

Jasmine shrugged. She wasn't going to say anything against the Young DKV publicly.

Severus looked at Franklin and the other DKV members severely.

"Mr. Urnston and the rest of you, it is wrong to try and force others to participate in any organization against their will, no matter how beneficial it is. If Miss Malfoy has decided to leave your club, then you must accept it. She has a right to make her own choices without harassment. Ten points from Slytherin for each of you. I've no need to tell you how much the ninety-point loss will be appreciated by your housemates at this late date. You have lost Slytherin the House Cup through your actions. And you will each serve one night's detention with Hagrid cleaning the thestral stables without magic."

Severus eyed Franklin.

"Mr. Urnston, you have a right to your beliefs. But you have no right to degrade and abuse others with them publicly. Five points from Slytherin for your slurs concerning Mr. Mbutu and another five points for your use of vulgar language in my presence," he said evenly.

"What? Only five points for what he said about Andreas?" Jasmine seethed.

Severus scowled at her.

"Do you presume to tell me how to do my job, Miss Malfoy? Twenty points from Slytherin," Severus said darkly.

Jasmine turned red and was about to complain when both Andreas and Mathias elbowed her sharply. She bit her lip as she scowled at the Potions Master. Franklin and the others looked at her with satisfaction. She had lost more points than the rest of them, excluding Franklin who had the same amount as she did.

"You all may go," the Potion Master said, striding to his office and letting himself in.

The Slytherins all headed in their prospective directions, Franklin and his group heading for Slytherin house and the trio heading for the Room of Requirement. Franklin purposely shouldered Jasmine hard as he passed her. Andreas grabbed Mathias before he tackled the boy. They already were in enough trouble.

"You'll hear about your betrayal, you bitch," he hissed at her. "The Dark Lord will hear about it too, believe me. And your father."

"Tell who you want," Jasmine said, rubbing her shoulder. "I don't care anymore. This is my life."

Franklin gave an ugly little laugh and strode away with the rest of the Young DKV. Mathias walked up to her.

"Are you all right, Jasmine? I'm going to get him for that shoulder thing," the wizard seethed, looking after the group.

Jasmine looked at him and sighed.

"Don't bother, Mathias. No need to pull you into this. I've got to deal with the backlash myself. I'll be all right," she said.

Andreas looked at Jasmine, but said nothing. He hoped her courage would hold up.

"Let's go to the ROR. I need to let off some steam," Jasmine said, walking up the corridor. Mathias and Andreas looked at each other. This meant they would have to serve as the witch's hexing targets and let her hit them a few times to make her feel better.

Ah well, they were trying to toughen up anyway.

* * *

The next day, Jasmine was summoned to Dumbledore's office. When she arrived, Professor Dumbledore welcomed her.

"Ah, Miss Malfoy…so nice to see you my dear. Your father is here to see you," the Headmaster said.

Draco rose from the large armchair in front of Albus' desk. He looked at his daughter with a dark expression. Jasmine swallowed.

"Hello father," she said in a small voice.

"Headmaster, could my daughter and I have a few moments alone?" Draco asked Albus without taking his eyes off Jasmine.

"Why certainly, Draco. I was going to the kitchens to raid their sherbet stores. They served an excellent lemon sherbert yesterday at supper. I wanted to see if they had any leftovers. I should be back in half an hour or so," the Headmaster said good-naturedly, heading for the office door. He smiled at Jasmine as he passed, then exited.

Once outside, the Headmaster's smile faded. He was aware that Jasmine had quit the DKV because her name disappeared off the magical roster he kept of the various clubs at Hogwarts. He was happy to see it gone. Obviously, Draco was here to chastise her. He hoped the witch stuck to her guns. He walked down the spiral staircase and into Hogwarts proper.

"What is this I hear about you quitting the DKV and being intimate with black wizards?" Draco hissed at her.

Jasmine blinked her eyes at him.

"I haven't been intimate with anyone, father," she replied shocked.

"You were seen going into a black wizard's room arm and arm with him. Alone," Draco said.

"That was just Andreas. We went to his room to talk," she replied.

Draco scowled.

"To talk? What in the hell could you have to talk to him about, Jasmine? You have nothing in common with him. You are nobility, and he…he's just a jungle bunny," Draco replied. "Totally beneath you. You degrade yourself just by associating with him. No decent wizard will want you."

Jasmine looked at her father and realized just how horrible he sounded. He didn't know anything about Andreas and immediately classified him as someone inferior just because of his background.

"Andreas is a pureblood like we are," Jasmine argued.

"He's a black pureblood. Completely different from us. I don't want you hanging around him," Draco said. "That's my final word on this. And you WILL join the DKV again."

"I won't," Jasmine declared meeting her father's eyes. "I won't join anything that has to do with Voldemort."

Draco eyes widened and he looked about Dumbledore's office as if the walls had ears. They did. The portraits were all listening.

"Get out of here, all of you," Draco cried to the portraits, "before I hit you with a turpentine spell!"

The portraits beat a hasty retreat. Empty chairs and parlors abounded as they vacated their paintings. Draco grabbed his daughter hard by the shoulders, his handsome face contorted in fear and disbelief.

"Jasmine are you trying to get us both killed?" Draco hissed at her. "Don't you ever say anything like that again, witch! We will lose everything. Everything. Including our lives," the wizard said, shaking her hard.

"Father, I saw what he did to another consort. She was bitten, scratched and beaten all over her body. She said Voldemort wasn't even human and did horrible things to her. I don't want to be his consort, father," Jasmine gasped at him, "I don't want to be involved in anything that wants to make a wizard like that the leader of the wizarding world. I don't believe anything they say about him or the DKV anymore."

Draco slapped the witch, hard, knocking her to the floor. Jasmine was stunned, and brought her hand up to her face, staring at her father. He had never struck her before.

"When you turn eighteen…you WILL go to the Dark Lord. He is a man like any other man, Jasmine and you are a Malfoy. Your role was going to be influencing wizards to our advantage. And that is what you will do, daughter, or I swear I will pull you out of Hogwarts and send you away to someplace worse than Azkaban. I mean it, Jasmine. You are my daughter and you are to obey me."

He looked down on the witch. Her cheek was bruising.

"Maybe I've done too much for you," he said, "Maybe I should let you feel what it is to be a pauper. Maybe then you'll appreciate me better if I take it away for a while. Yes, that's it. This summer is going to be much different for you than any other summer, Jasmine. Two wandless months working on our island plantation will make you more appreciative of the luxurious life you have," Draco said in a low voice.

He grasped her chin and raised her from the floor painfully, bringing his face close to hers, his gray eyes as hard as diamonds.

"By the time I'm finished with you, Lady Jasmine Narcissa Malfoy, you will be a properly obedient witch and willing to do what I say…exactly as you are supposed to do. There is a price that comes with privilege. You have a role to play…and you WILL play it. Do you understand me?"

Jasmine looked up at the stranger who used to be her father.

"Yes sir," she whispered.

Draco tossed her back, stood up and straightened his robes.

"I expect you home this Friday. You will leave for the island Saturday morning by one-way port key," he said to her, exiting Dumbledore's office.

Jasmine pulled herself up into the armchair and sat there a moment, rubbing her aching cheek. She had stopped carrying a compact, so she couldn't look to see the damage her father had caused. He had never, ever struck her before. She was stunned, but could see he was terrified at what she had said. Gods, what was she going to do now?

She sat quietly in the armchair for a moment…and then the tears came.

* * *

Jasmine went to Poppy before Dumbledore returned, with a story of stumbling and hitting her cheek. Poppy had no reason to disbelieve the witch. She hadn't gotten the news about Jasmine defection from the Young DKV. Actually, Poppy hadn't been to many DVK meetings for a while. She didn't like being ostracized, and the DKV hadn't come after her when she stopped showing up at meetings. She was a non-entity in the organization after all. But whether she attended the meetings or not…she still had the mark. She could still be controlled if Voldemort invoked it. Poppy was not as much a non-entity as she or the others thought. The Dark Lord was aware of her. She worked at Hogwarts after all. Any DKV member that had access to Dumbledore was important.

"That was quite a nasty bruise, Jasmine. You have fair skin, you have to be careful," Poppy said as she helped her off the cot.

"Thank you Madame Pomfrey," Jasmine said, and she exited the infirmary.

She met up with Mathias and Andreas and spent the rest of the day with them, listening to their plans for the summer. Apparently they were going to spend some time together over the vacation.

"What are you going to do this summer, Jasmine? Lie around the Manor and give house elves orders?" Mathias asked her, his eyes mirthful. Jasmine hated when he teased her about being luxuriously lazy.

"Probably," the witch said, her eyes dark.

Andreas studied her, his face sober.

"Your summer will do you good, Jasmine. You will learn things," he said to her. "Things you may never have known otherwise. You will learn about people."

Mathias laughed. He didn't have the gift as strongly as Andreas. He could only get glimpses of someone's future at odd times. Andreas could access larger pieces if he concentrated, though not everything.

"I can imagine what kind of people. Butlers, servants, chauffeurs, manicurists, chefs," Mathias said, smirking, "The list goes on and on."

Jasmine gave him a sad little smile.

"You've got me pegged, Mathias," she said to him, then headed for her rooms.

"You'll be all right, little sister," Andreas said under his breath as he watched her leave.

She never did tell Mathias what her father had planned for her that summer.

* * *

Severus made arrangements with Andreas' parents for him to stay the summer at Hogwarts, supposedly for private and free brewing lessons. His father, a prestigious solicitor and his mother, who had her own very successful Healing practice, were ecstatic to let Andreas stay under the care of his Head of House and learn potions. They felt it would give him an advantage. Severus' skills were well known throughout the wizarding world and they gave their permission gladly. Andreas and Mathias shared the extra room in Severus' quarters, the décor neatly divided between luxury and starkness.

Monday night, Severus led the boys across the grounds of Hogwarts to the main gates. He wouldn't tell them where they were going. Both Mathias and Andreas were very excited. The Potions Master let them out, warded the gates back, placed an arm around each young wizard's shoulder and disapparated.

They appeared on a rather rundown street in muggle London, where the houses were in various states of disrepair. Severus began walking and the boys followed, looking about them curiously. Severus stopped and faced two rather beaten up houses. It looked as if no one was home in either of them.

"Why are we stopping here?" Mathias asked him.

In response, Severus muttered something. Suddenly, a third rundown house appeared, pushing the others aside as it expanded horizontally. The windows were grimy and the house unkempt. Both Mathias' and Andreas' eyebrows rose as the house forced itself between the others. Didn't anyone notice this when it happened? But then again, this was a muggle neighborhood. Muggles hardly noticed anything.

"Come on," Severus said walking up to the black painted door and pushing it open, followed closely by the young wizards. They entered and were immediately greeted by a bright female voice.

"Hey there, Professor! Good to see you!"

Nymphadora Tonks walked up to them, smiling broadly. The Auror didn't seem to age and looked to be as young as ever. She was dressed in sweats, trainers and a white wife beater that showed off her sinewy, muscular but still feminine arms. Her hair was spiked and colored green and purple. She had hazel eyes and a cute, pixieish face. There was an air of mischievousness about her.

"Hello Tonks," Severus said, giving her a slight smile. He gestured to the boys.

"Allow me to introduce you to my son, Mathias and his friend Andreas Mbutu," he said.

"Hello boys," Tonks said, grinning at them. "I'm Nymphadora Tonks, but you can call me Tonks. Actually, you'd better call me Tonks."

Her hazel eyes went hard for a moment. She wasn't kidding. She hated being called Nymphadora. She had given out a couple of black eyes to wizards for using her given name. The witch claimed her mother must have hated her from the womb to give her such a hideous name.

Tonks looked at Mathias speculatively.

Gods, Severus…he's the spitting image of you…except he hasn't got that great honker of a nose."

Mathias expected his father to say something rather nasty to the witch, but the Professor just shook his head.

"No he hasn't, Tonks. He's got Hermione's nose," the wizard replied.

She nodded, then peered at Andreas.

"Mbutu, eh? Your mum wouldn't be Sharika Mbutu, the Healer would she?" Tonks asked him.

"Yes. Sharika Mbutu is my mother," Andreas confirmed.

Tonks beamed at him.

"Your mum's a miracle worker. Every time I twist something she fixes me right up, better than any healing potion. I love her," Tonks said, still smiling. "Now come on into the kitchen and have a pumpkin juice before you get started. Got to keep you hydrated. Fighting deatheaters is a nasty business," she said as she headed for the kitchen. Severus gestured for the startled boys to follow her.

Andreas and Mathias looked at each other. Fighting deatheaters? They were going to be fighting deatheaters?

They entered the kitchen and Tonks already had the juice out, pouring it into large glasses on the counter.

"Sit down, take a load off," she said.

There was a rather large, rectangular kitchen table with three chairs on each side and one on each end. Severus took the seat at the far end and the boys sat next to each other on the right side of the table. Tonks brought their juice over and sat down at the other end of the table. She watched them drink, her eyes flicking to Severus. He nodded slightly.

"So, you boys want to kill Voldemort, eh?" Tonks asked them as they drank their juice. Both boys spluttered then looked accusingly at Severus.

Tonks laughed.

"Aw, don't worry that I know. I'm going to be one of your trainers. Killing Voldemort is the prime objective around here. Everyone wants to knock him off. We just can't get to him. We're hoping you two can," Tonks said soberly.

So Tonks was going to train them. Both boys looked her over skeptically. They were about the same size as she was, and she was a witch. How good could she be?

Tonks saw them sizing her up.

"Don't let my size fool you. I'll kick both your little asses," she said to them evenly.

Severus smirked. He knew the boys had the mistaken idea that all wizards were physically stronger than witches. Most might be, but when fighting…strength wasn't everything. Skill and speed had much to do with being a formidable fighter. Tonks was one of the best fighters the Order had.

Mathias wanted to say, "I'd like to see you try," but held his tongue. Still, Tonks looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"You want to have a go at me, don't you Mathias?" she asked him directly.

"I'd like to see how well you fight, yes," the wizard replied.

"All right. You'll be the first to kiss the mat then," the witch said, giving him a rather nasty grin.

Severus looked down at his pumpkin juice and shook his head. His son was in for quite a humbling first session, he was sure. The boys didn't know they were to stay at Order Headquarters for the week. He would pick them up on the weekend and bring them to Hermione's. The only negative aspect of having the two boys was he couldn't visit Hermione during the week without them. She'd get suspicious.

"Is physical combat all we will do?" Andreas asked.

Tonks looked at Andreas, then at Severus, smirking.

"No, there will be quite a bit of silly wand-waving," she replied, taking a jibe at Severus' first year speech he did every year.

Both boys grinned and looked at the Professor, who had his arms folded, smirking at Tonks. Again, he said nothing.

Mathias realized that his father respected this witch very much. Severus never respected anyone without reason. He'd better pay attention to Miss Nymphadora Tonks.

"Where's Kingsley?" Severus asked her.

"Oh, working late at the Ministry. They are interrogating someone," Tonks replied.

"Who is Kingsley?" Mathias asked.

Tonks eyes went rather hot for a moment.

"Kingsley is my other half. He will be responsible for your 'conditioning.' In other words he will be toughening you two up. He'll make you strong, lean and mean, though you two seem lean enough already. How old are you?"

"Sixteen," Andreas said.

"Almost sixteen," Mathias replied.

Tonks smiled at Mathias.

"You can't wait to grow up, can you?" she asked him.

"I have things to do," Mathias replied soberly.

"We have things to do," Andreas added, his eyes also sober.

Tonks studied the boys, rather surprised by the determination in their eyes. She saw they were finished with their juice.

"All right," she said, rising from the table, "Let's do it then."

* * *

Tonks led them to a doorway. She opened it and walked down a flight of stairs. Mathias, Andreas and Severus followed them, the Potions Master smirking. They entered a kind of lobby. There was an office on one side with a large window. A few chairs were scattered about, and there were doors on the opposite wall. A large bare wall was directly in front of them.

Tonks turned to the boys and looked at them speculatively.

"This is where members of the Order learn their fighting techniques. We have an outfitting room, a workout room, a training room and a rather specialized Room of Requirement for fighting scenarios of all types. You'll be taking a peek in there later on. "Now, give me your wands. I have to put them up."

Mathias and Andreas handed Tonks their wands. She took them into her office and locked them in her top drawer, warding it securely. She came back out and walked over to the first door on the far wall.

Now, into the outfitting room, both of you," Tonks said to the young wizards, winking at Severus. "Coming Professor?"

Severus looked rather amused.

"No, Tonks. I think this experience will be more effective without the boys being able to fall back on me for support," the wizard said smirking at her as she pulled the door open. Andreas and Mathias walked in, Tonks following closely behind.

There were lockers, long benches and showers in the outfitting room, and a door leading to a storage closet. They turned and looked at Tonks.

"Strip," she said.

"What?" both boys said together.

"Get naked. I need to outfit you. I have to get a good look at you both to see what you need," she said, grinning.

"But…but you're a witch!" Mathias sputtered, looking worried.

He didn't have his wand so couldn't disillusion the serpent-shaped scars on his chest he received from his journey to the Dark Soul of the World's domain. Andreas only had claw marks. Tonks would probably just think it was something ethnic on his part.

"Nice of you to notice. I'm also your trainer. Don't worry boys, I've seen more tools than I can count, all shapes and sizes. I've ceased to be impressed. Now strip down," she said, walking to the closet door, opening it and entering.

Mathias looked at Andreas desperately. The black wizard was busily opening his robes

"I don't have my wand, Andreas. She's going to see my serpent scar. She might say something to my father," Mathias hissed at him.

Andreas stopped undressing for a moment.

"Yes. That could be a problem," he replied, smirking at Mathias, who scowled at him.

"It's not funny, Andreas. I don't want to tell Dad about my journey," he said.

"All right. Calm down, brother. I will fix it so she doesn't see your serpent," he said.

Andreas' powers had strengthened. He no longer needed dolls to focus his energy on a person. He stood still for a moment, then concentrated. He looked at Mathias.

"She will not see your scars. Only smooth, soft, pale skin," he said, smiling at Mathias.

"What do you mean soft? I'm not soft!" Mathias said to him, his nostrils flaring.

Andreas chuckled and continued taking off his clothes. Both boys wore only boxers, socks and trainers under their robes.

"I've never been naked in front of a witch before," Mathias said, unbuttoning his robes. He felt very apprehensive about a witch looking at his "goods." Since James' comment about him being abnormal, he was sensitive about the size of his penis.

Andreas pulled off his robe and laid it on the bench. He sat down and removed his socks and trainers. Then he stood up and pulled down his green silk boxers. Mathias looked at him and felt better immediately. Andreas was also rather "abnormal". The black wizard grinned at him.

"My mother says I am very blessed," he smirked at Mathias.

Mathias removed his own clothes. Andreas looked him over.

"You have also been very blessed, brother," the wizard said.

Mathias looked down at his tool.

"I guess so," he replied. Both boys stood side by side waiting for Tonks to return. Mathias felt more confident now that he knew Andreas was big too.

Tonks walked out of the storeroom, her arms full of clothing. On top of the sweats and wife beaters, she carried specialized trainers, socks, two jock straps and two athletic cups. She set them down on the bench and looked at the two naked wizards. They were both well built for their age. Mathias was going to be lean and sinewy with broader shoulders than his father. Andreas was going to be broad chested. He already had quite muscular arms. Both boys had strong torsos and abdominal muscles. It was easy to see they either worked out or were very physical. Tonks' eyes dropped to their loins. She didn't show any reaction other than to pick up the cups she had.

"Well, these certainly won't fit," she said, walking back into the storeroom.

Mathias and Andreas looked at each other, grinning.

* * *

Tonks never did notice Mathias' serpent, and the wife beater was thick enough to hide the image. They followed her back out into the lobby, where Severus waited. He looked over the boys. They both wore white wife beaters and blue sweats, signifying they were beginners. They also wore headgear, mouthpieces, elbow and kneepads, and heavy five-fingered fighting gloves, heavily padded on top

"Any problems, Tonks?" he asked the witch.

"Other than having to find cups big enough for these two studs, everything was fine," she said. "They're both hung like hippogriffs."

Severus arched an eyebrow at the boys.

"She called us studs," Mathias whispered to Andreas, his voice distorted by the mouthpiece. "What's a stud?"

Andreas shrugged. They'd ask Severus later.

Tonks studied them. She wore padded gloves and knee and elbow pads. Nothing else. This was her favorite part of starting training. The ass-kicking, humbling part. Severus' son had a lot of confidence. Tonks could also sense he was a bit of a chauvinist, and didn't believe witches could really fight. He thought he could beat her.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

They entered the training room. The walls and floors were heavily padded with matting, and there were long benches at one end of the room. It looked like a place were psychos could be kept for their own protection. Severus followed them in and took a seat on one of the benches, unfastening the top of his robes to get comfortable. This promised to be quite interesting.

Tonks looked at Mathias and Andreas.

"All right, what do you know?" she asked.

Mathias took out his mouthpiece.

"Well, I was trained by Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley when I was very young. I work out every day with Andreas. I taught him what I know. He's just as good as I am," Mathias said rather proudly.

Tonks nodded mentally noting Mathias considered himself a "good" fighter.

"So you know Auror moves. Basic or Advanced?" she asked the wizard.

"Advanced," Mathias said rather evenly.

Tonks didn't even blink. She looked at Andreas.

"Andreas, you go sit down next to the Professor until it's your turn," she said.

Andreas obediently walked over and sat down next to the Professor.

Tonks looked at Mathias.

"This is just an evaluation to find out how skilled you are," she said, "Now, when we start, I want you to go on the offensive and try to take me down. Don't be afraid to do full contact, because that will be what I'll be doing. If I hit you, Mathias…you are going to feel it," she said.

"If you hit me," Mathias repeated, putting his mouthpiece back in.

Tonks grinned at him. Oh, this was going to be fun.

Severus let out a little groan when he heard Mathias' reply. Tonks loved cocky new students.

Tonks backed up from him and took a defensive stance.

"Come and get some, Mathias Snape," she said, grinning unpleasantly.

Mathias wasted no time. Silently he charged Tonks and executed a series of full contact kicks and blows…only to find she wasn't there. Suddenly, the wizard's legs were swept out from under him from behind, and he fell hard to the mat on his back

Dazed, Mathias looked up at a smiling Tonks.

"Nice delivery. Too bad no one was there to receive the package," she said, "Kicks and blows mean nothing if you can't keep up with your opponent. Get up and show me something else."

Mathias got back up. Damn, the witch was fast.

Both Andreas' and Severus' dark eyes rested on the two opponents.

"Mathias is going to get his butt kicked," Andreas observed, his mouthpiece in his glove, "Me too."

Severus nodded.

"Yep," he said shortly as he watched his son take another stance.

The boy was skilled enough to beat other students, but far from being able to take on a truly skilled fighter. But he and Andreas had three years to work on their skills.

Mathias stared at Tonks, then feinted to the right, aiming a blow at her head. Tonks slipped it and spun, kicking Mathias in the side of the head powerfully. His headgear absorbed much of the blow, but down he went, this time seeing stars. He was getting his ass kicked by a witch.

He lay there in the fetal position for about two minutes, then rose to his feet, a scowl on his face. He hadn't managed to touch her yet. This time when they took their stances, Mathias charged her, wrapping his arms around her waist, his head cushioned in her breasts. But there was nothing remotely sexual about it as Tonks went down and tumbled, rolling Mathias over using the wizard's own force, pinning him to the mat on his back and punching him in both sides of his head several times before springing off of him.

"That could have been your face, but I didn't want something so pretty bruising," Tonks said teasingly. Severus shook his head as Mathias unsteadily got up and charged Tonks again. This time she stopped him with a powerful knee to the solar plexus, and Mathias fell to his knees, doubled over and vomited.

"Ewww," Tonks said, wrinkling her nose. "Now that's just nasty."

Mathias wiped his mouth and stood up shakily. He took another defensive stance, his eyes wet. Tonks shook her head.

"Nope. You're done Mathias. You need a lot of work, wouldn't you say?" Tonks asked him.

Mathias looked at the witch. She had hit him so hard he threw up. He couldn't remember ever being hit so hard.

"Yes," he said sullenly.

Tonks nodded approvingly.

"You're a smart one. Most young wizards come in here and say my kicking their asses was a fluke, and go through several sessions of me knocking their blocks off until they finally admit they need more training. Better to admit you need help…ya know?"

Mathias nodded.

"Severus, can you get that?" Tonks called over to the Potions Master and pointing to the vomit.

Severus whipped out his wand and did a long distance scourgify.

Tonks patted Mathias on his shoulder.

"You know, you're not half bad…you just need focus and a bit of help. You can't improve if you don't fight better fighters than you. That's the only way you'll get better," she said comfortingly. Then she mushed Mathias in the face, making his head snap back. He looked at her angrily, but didn't attempt to retaliate.

Tonks nodded again in approval.

"You're pissed but you're thinking. You didn't go for me. That a sign of someone who's going to be a good fighter. Now go sit down next to your Dad, and send Andreas to me," she directed.

Mathias stalked over to the bench and sat down.

"She wants you, Andreas," he said sullenly.

Andreas sighed, stood up, put his mouthpiece in and walked toward Tonks as if going to the gallows. He knew he wasn't going to fare much better than Mathias. And he was right.

Andreas had a problem going after Tonks because she was a witch. He was raised not to strike witches. They were the weaker sex after all. This pissed Tonks off to no end.

"So, you think witches are soft, eh?" she said, unleashing a series of kicks and blows on the boy, knocking him around until he fell, curled and dazed on the mats, panting and aching all over. He didn't have a problem trying to beat the hell out of Tonks after that…though like Mathias, he couldn't touch her and got his ass royally kicked.

She pretty much told Andreas what she told Mathias, and tripped him so he fell face first to the mats as he started to walk away. Andreas flipped over and looked at the witch, his eyes narrowed. But like Mathias, he didn't try to retaliate.

Tonks sent the boys back to the outfitting room, telling them to shower then dress again. The boys walked silently from the room, humbled.

They weren't the fighters they believed they were.

But they would be.

Severus walked up to Tonks.

"So what do you think?" he asked her.

Tonks looked thoughtful.

"They have better moves than most of the newbies I get in here. Better than I did when I came here. I was the clumsiest Auror in the Ministry. If it hadn't been for my being a metamorphmagus, they would have given me the boot. But those boys are determined, Severus. I think they will be absolutely deadly in a couple of years. I suggest extensive weapons training as well. Maybe Mathias has your talent with a short sword."

The wizard nodded.

"I'm giving them over to you and Kingsley, Tonks. Mold them and make them the best they can be. I would like my son to live," he said soberly, his black eyes glinting, "And Andreas too. He is a fine young wizard."

Tonks looked at the Potions Master, rather surprised. This was the most emotional statement she had ever heard from him.

"Don't worry, Professor. I'll try to keep him around long enough so he can give you lots of grandchildren," she replied.

Severus' eyebrows rose. He had never even thought about grandchildren.

"Thank you, Tonks," he said as they both headed for the exit.

Tonks looked up at him.

"So tell me, Professor…did Mathias get that monster of a joystick from you or was that a gift from his mum's side?" she asked him curiously.

Severus shook his head.

One never knew what madness would come out of the Auror's mouth.

"Tonks, you really need to bone up on your etiquette," Severus said to her, "You have no sense of propriety at all."

"Propriety? Etiquette? What's that?" she grinned up at him.

Severus sighed. Tonks was a handful. He didn't know how Kingsley dealt with the wild-natured witch. But obviously the Auror was good at it. The couple had been together for years. The Potions Master sat down in one of the lobby chairs as Tonks walked into her office. He looked at the closed door to the outfitting room.

He hoped the boys would hurry. He was looking forward to the next test.

* * *

Mathias and Andreas exited the outfitting room to find Severus and Tonks talking in low tones. Both witch and wizard looked up when the door closed. Severus had a small mirror in his hand.

Both boys had showered and dressed, Mathias' hair quite damp and flat to his head. Tonks walked up to them and handed the wizards their wands.

"Here you go," she said, looking them over again.

Mathias instantly applied a light drying spell to his hair, leaving it slightly damp. Over drying made a mess of it. Both boys looked at Tonks expectantly. She rubbed her hands together.

"All right, now that you two know you are not invincible, its time for you to do a run-through of the Room of Requirement. Have you ever used one before?" she asked them.

Both boys nodded. They practically lived in the ROR at Hogwarts.

Tonks walked over to the blank wall and made several motions with her hand. A seam appeared, then expanded horizontally to form a door.

"This is the Order's Room of Requirement. It's much more advanced than the ROR at Hogwarts," she said with a grim little smile. This room can be set to specific levels of challenge. You two will be set to Advanced Beginner. The room will test your magical and physical skill levels. The Professor and I have decided on a specific scenario. At the end of the room you find yourself in, there will be a glowing blue gem on a pedestal. You have to retrieve that gem and exit the room intact," she said evenly, her hazel eyes shifting from one wizard to the other.

Severus watched as Tonks gave the boys their instructions. They were going to get quite a surprise when they entered that room. Tonks wasn't telling them the whole story.

"Wait right here," Tonks said, walking toward the ROR door, "I have to set up the room for you."

Tonks opened the door, and both boys tried to see what was inside but she closed it quickly behind her.

Mathias looked at his father.

"What's in there, Dad?" he asked Severus.

"You'll see," Severus replied obliquely.

The ROR was a completely empty all-white room. Tonks stood in the center.

"Level one point five. Scenario: Fortress. Golems…" Tonks hesitated, looking thoughtful, "Seven. Deatheaters: Defensive/Offensive mode. Physical level: two. Magical level: one. Aggression: five. Damage level one. Reactive. Voice engaged."

Tonks then went for the coup de grace

"Golem: One prefab Dark Lord. Offensive mode. Physical level: one. Magical level: five. Aggression: ten. Damage level: two. Reactive. Voice: Engaged. Scenario begins with prefab throne visual."

Tonks smiled. That ought to get their hearts pumping.

"Entry: Corridor, locked door, indirect view," she said. "Weapons: staff two. Deflectives: five: chairs. Blue prize. End scenario with plus two damage. End scenario blue prize to exit."

Satisfied she had set the room properly, the Auror exited.

Mathias and Andreas looked at the spiky haired witch anxiously when she emerged and closed the door. They both started to approach the ROR, wanting to see what was in there. Tonks held up her hand.

"You've got to wait a bit. The room is setting up," Tonks said. "My, you both are anxious to get whipped, aren't you?"

Both Andreas and Mathias scowled slightly, unable to defend themselves in lieu of Tonks kicking both their asses so easily. They didn't respond.

Tonks chuckled and Severus arched an eyebrow at the boys.

"Will we have to get around obstacles?" Andreas asked her, thinking the room would be providing difficult terrains, magical puzzles or something similar.

"Obstacles? Oh, yeah. There will be obstacles all right," Tonks replied, a rather evil grin on her face. She knew the boys had never encountered golems in the ROR at Hogwarts. It didn't generate them.

Golems were temporary human constructs that served a specific physical purpose then faded away when that purpose was fulfilled. They had rudimentary thought processes and could be programmed with specific behaviors. They could also duplicate actual human beings in features and actions.

Golems were also automatically generated by the ROR in populated settings such as a reproduction of Hogsmeade, and automatically assigned roles. In the case of sneak attacks, any golem could be an enemy, and have varied levels of fighting skill depending on the skills of the person in training. Magical attacks could be simulated, and pain could be felt from the psuedo-hexes thrown by the constructs.

The ROR also stored information on the trainees as they battled their way through, saving it for the next scenario to generate more challenging golems or work on strengthening weaknesses. The ROR was quite an effective training aid.

Severus looked into the mirror he held.

"The ROR is ready, Tonks," he said to the witch. The Potions Master and Tonks would be able to monitor the boys' progress through the mirror.

"Right-o," Tonks said, looking at the boys. "Go on in, and do your best."

Mathias and Andreas looked at each other, then started for the door. Andreas pulled it open and they both looked in warily. All they saw was a corridor with a door at the end.

"Don't just stand there, go in!" Tonks urged.

Mathias and Andreas entered the corridor, leaving the door open in case they needed to beat a hasty retreat. Tonks slammed it closed as Severus chuckled.

Tonks walked over to him scowling and sat down, looking into the mirror, which showed the boys looking back with startled looks on their faces.

"Someone always tries to leave the door open," Tonks snorted.

Severus smirked, moving the mirror slightly so Tonks could see better.

Well, now he'd see what the boys could do.

* * *

Mathias and Andreas stood before the closed door.

"What do you think is in there, Andreas?" he asked.

Andreas concentrated.

"I can't see anything. Probably because the ROR is actually illusion," the wizard replied.

"Yeah, but an illusion that we can touch, taste and smell," he said.

Andreas scowled slightly.

"How bad can it be? We will probably have to climb over mountains or swim, or something like that to reach the blue gem. We can do that," the wizard said.

Mathias nodded.

"Let's go in though, but open it slowly. The door might trigger something," he said.

Andreas gripped the knob and turned it slowly, his wand at the ready. Mathias was right behind him. They pushed the door open quietly and peered inside.

"Wow," Mathias breathed.

The corridor opened on to a huge circular stone room. Flickering torches lined the walls, and a number of doors were cut into the stone. The floor was bare, but there were dark stains everywhere. Several high-backed armchairs were scattered about, and there were two long poles lying on the floor as if dropped there. In the center of the room was a throne, turned slightly. Directly in front of the throne about twenty feet away was a pedestal, and on that pedestal rested a glowing blue gem.

"This is a throne room," Andreas said, looking about carefully.

"I don't see any obstacles, Andreas. It looks like a straight shot from here to the blue gem," the wizard said.

Andreas studied the room.

"It can't be that easy, Mathias, there has to be something guarding that stone, or some magical protections…I think this is supposed to be Voldemort's throne room," Andreas said, "He's the only one I could imagine with a throne."

Mathias' eyebrows rose. So this was what Voldemort's throne room looked like.

"There's blood everywhere," the wizard said, his dark eyes falling on the stains.

"Creepy," Andreas agreed, "But come on, we have to try and get that gem. Let's stick to the wall, wands out."

Mathias nodded and both boys slipped out of the corridor and pressed themselves against the wall.

"Now what?" Mathias asked, "Should we try to sneak up on the throne?"

Andreas looked at the throne hard. He thought he saw some kind of movement.

"I think someone is sitting there," he hissed at Mathias. Both boys hunkered down a bit.

"We need to see who it is. If someone is there, we have to get him out of the way to get the gem," Mathias said.

"All right. Slowly then brother," Andreas whispered, sidling along the wall, trying to keep to the flickering shadows so their movements would be hidden. The two boys crept around until they could see who was on the throne.

"Voldemort!" Mathias hissed, "That's him, Andreas…that's how he looked when I saw past his glamour."

Yes, it was Voldemort, or a Voldemort golem, perfectly reproduced from the thin body, to the scaly skin, red eyes, ear and nose slits and lipless mouth. He was dressed in an elaborate gold robe and didn't move, looking straight ahead, apparently at the sparkling blue gem.

"Maybe it's a statue. He's not moving," Andreas said.

"No, you saw something move before. Maybe he's someone dressed up to look like Voldemort," Mathias whispered.

"No, I would have felt another human presence. This is something else entirely. I get nothing from it," Andreas said. "No life force. Shift to aura view and see what I mean."

Mathias did so, and there was a colorless shimmer around the wizard sitting in the chair, but it was a glow associated with inanimate objects.

"No, its not alive," Mathias said, his brow furrowed, "But still, something's up, Andreas."

Severus and Tonks watched as the boys tried to decide what they were seeing and what to do about it. The mirror didn't have sound however, so they couldn't tell what the boys were talking about.

"They're cautious. That's good," Tonks said, "A lot of newbies just rush in without taking in their surroundings."

Severus nodded, but didn't say anything. The image of his son in Voldemort's throne room was unnerving, even though it was only a construct. He leaned forward, watching the young wizards intently.

"We can't just stay here," Mathias said, looking at the tall armchair in front of them. "That chair is big enough for both of us to hide behind. Let's move closer…we can check him out better. I'll go first."

Andreas nodded and watched as Mathias bent low and ran silently for the armchair. He ducked behind it and peeked out at the wizard sitting on the throne. He still hadn't moved. He waved at Andreas to come join him.

Andreas looked furtively at the wizard in the throne. Something was wrong here. The wizard pushed off the wall and ran for the chair, but stumbled on the way. Suddenly, Voldemort looked in his direction.

"Who is in my throne room!" the wizard cried in a high-pitched voice, rising and looking toward the armchair.

"Oh shit!" Mathias hissed.

"My deatheaters! Come! There are intruders!" the wizard commanded.

Suddenly, there were several flashes of light and seven deatheaters appeared, wands in hand. They were fully robed and wearing half-skull masks. One appeared directly behind Mathias and Andreas.

"I see them my Lord!" the deatheater cried, rushing forward and shooting what appeared to be a stunner at the boys. A cry went up from the other deatheaters.

"Scramble!" Mathias shouted at Andreas as they leaped out of the way of the blast.

Mathias fired back at the deatheater hitting him. He fell. Andreas ran to another armchair, barely slipping several powerful blasts. He fired over the back of the armchair and hit another deatheater, who also fell.

Mathias was running around the throne room trying to avoid the attacking deatheaters. One dove for him, and Mathias managed to stop, the deatheater flying by him and hitting the wall hard. He slid down the wall, stunned.

Mathias looked to see Andreas struggling with another deatheater, who had his arm wrapped around the black wizard's throat, choking him as another approached, smiling, his wand drawn.

"No!" Mathias cried, running toward his brother. Andreas managed to bend and flip the wizard over his back as Mathias slammed into the other deatheater with all his weight, knocking him away

Mathias desperately cast a binding spell on the fallen deatheater, tying him up securely as Andreas viciously began kicking the deatheater who had choked him in the head. Another deatheater ran forward and fired a blast at the distracted wizard, hitting Andreas squarely in the chest. The boy flew several feet through the air and landed hard on his back. He didn't move.

"Andreas!" Mathias screamed, then ducked and weaved as the remaining three deatheaters fired at him.

He ran in a zigzag pattern, firing blasts over his shoulder as he dove for another armchair. He couldn't get to Andreas, but managed to hold the deatheaters off, exchanging blasts with them as he dragged the armchair back, trying to get his back against the wall. He didn't see Voldemort approaching from the side until it was too late.

"Avada Kedavra!" the scaly wizard cried, pointing his wand at Mathias and bathing him in simulated green light.

Suddenly, everything froze, then disappeared, the room becoming empty and white. Andreas lay on the floor, propped up on his elbows and looking around dazedly. He groaned.

Mathias looked around the room, then walked over to Andreas, caught him by the hand and helped him to his feet. He then retrieved his wand, which was several feet away.

"I guess we lost," Andreas said, accepting his wand from Mathias, then brushing off his robes.

"Yes. You were down and Voldemort killed me," Mathias said, "But we didn't do too bad, Andreas. They were grown wizards after all. We got four of them."

"Yes," Andreas said, "but nowhere near the blue gem. We didn't even try to go for it, we were so busy fighting. One of us should have tried to get it."

Mathias scowled.

"It's hard to go for something when everyone in the room is trying to kill you," he said.

"Yes, but we still should have tried. We had a goal and got side-tracked," Andreas said. "Next time we need a plan."

Mathias nodded. Next time they would be more focused.

"We should have kept our eyes on Voldemort too. It was like I forgot about him totally," the pale wizard said, looking around the room again. "But you have to admit, this ROR leaves ours in the dust. That was cool."

The door opened and Tonks stuck her head in.

"Come on, you two. The evaluation's over," she said.

Mathias and Andreas exited the room, walking past Tonks, who looked at them thoughtfully.

Severus walked up to Mathias and gripped both his shoulders.

"Are you all right?" he asked his son, his face paler than usual.

It had shaken Severus horribly when he saw the golem-Voldemort cast the simulated Killing curse on his son. He knew it wasn't real, but gods…it felt like it for just a moment. Mathias could be taken from him.

"I'm fine, Dad," he said.

Severus looked over at Andreas.

"How are you, Andreas. That was quite a blast you took," he said to the wizard.

Andreas give him a small smile.

"I am fine too, sir," he said shortly, "just a little sore."

Severus nodded. Andreas was a tough young wizard.

Tonks walked up to them.

"All right. Andreas got hit, and Mathias got killed. You didn't do too badly for your first time out. At sixteen years old with no actual formal training, you managed to take down four deatheaters at level five aggression. But you didn't keep your eyes on Voldemort, nor did you go for the gem, which was your main goal. You must always focus on your goal, regardless of what obstacles are before you. There were several instances when you were running around in there Mathias, when you could have grabbed the gem. But you ran right by it. If you had grabbed the gem and ran for the exit, you would have won. Also, you were distracted by Andreas. That's not good. You can't protect him and yourself in battle. You need to realize that. It's every man for himself for the most part. The best way to save your comrades is to complete your goal. Remember that."

Mathias nodded.

"And you, Andreas…you let anger take you over. You were hit by that blast because you were punishing the wizard who choked you. You should have disabled him and continued toward your goal. You cannot let personal feelings control you in such a situation. You have to be focused. Take him out and keep moving. If you don't…you'll end up dead. Understand me?"

Andreas nodded. But the wizard had pissed him off and it had been very satisfying kicking him in the head. Up to the point he got blasted, that is. Tonks was right. He could have just as easily been killed.

"I understand, Tonks," he replied.

"And neither of you made use of the staffs when things got physical. You should always be on the lookout for things that can help you fight. Even if it's a book or a bucket. Anything. You both stepped over the staffs several times," she said, shaking her head.

The boys both dropped their heads. They had been stupid.

Tonks eyes softened.

"But look, you did all right, see? No one wins the first battle…but you boys were close. You just made mistakes, and my job is to fix those mistakes so you won't make them again," Tonks said comfortingly.

"Can we try again?" Mathias asked.

Andreas nodded enthusiastically.

"No, not tonight. In a few days maybe…after Kingsley and I have had a few sessions with you," she said to the boys.

"Sessions? What? We'll be coming back tomorrow?" Mathias asked, looking at his father.

"No, you will be staying until Friday. Actually, the whole of your summer, excluding weekends will be spent here at Order Headquarters. And during school you will be here on many weekends from Friday night until Sunday night as well as some weekdays. I will bring you and retrieve you both. You are going to be trained up, boys. By the time you graduate, you will both be forces to be reckoned with," the Potions Master said. "But, you will have to keep your marks up to par."

Mathias and Andreas looked at each other, smiling broadly.

If they had their way, they'd be assassins.

Tonks met Severus' eyes soberly. She would have to work them hard to get them ready to meet Voldemort's forces. The deatheaters of the inner circle were much more fierce than the golems in the ROR at level five. Much more fierce.

The young wizards really would have to become skilled as assassins to survive them.

It would be her job to make sure they did.

* * *

By the end of summer, both Mathias and Andreas had improved greatly in their fighting ability. Now they were thinking fighters instead of skilled brawlers. Neither was a match for Tonks or anywhere near it yet, but the improvement was marked.

Kingsley had worked them unmercifully, strengthening their bodies with exercise and workouts. They each had a grueling morning regime they were expected to do every day, and they did so, their lean bodies becoming hard, but not bulky. They returned to Slytherin house and the other students noticed the difference in them. They were closer than ever and outside of classes, if you saw Mathias, you saw Andreas by his side.

Students from Gryffindor quickly discovered that the boys were faster and meaner than ever, quick to hex and escape every ambush with amazing speed, leaving at least three of the offending attackers infirmary-bound every time.

Jasmine Malfoy returned to Slytherin house rather subdued. Her fair skin was much darker, as if it had a crust. She was also much more toned. But what was most noticeable was her laid back attitude. She did not take her role as Alpha female of the witches when she returned, but was retiring and silent for the most part. She also rejoined the DKV, but as an ordinary member and not in the role of secretary. They welcomed her back with open arms. She attended the meetings regularly, though she rarely participated in any discussions and didn't engage in any extra-curricular activities, such as recruitment or targeted harassment of muggle-borns.

Mathias and Andreas noticed the change in her immediately.

"Jasmine, are you all right?" Mathias asked her one day as they walked to breakfast.

Jasmine nodded.

"I'm fine, Mathias," she replied quietly.

Andreas simply studied her with a small smile on his face, but said nothing.

"You seem different," Mathias said.

"I am," Jasmine said, "Everyone changes, Mathias. I had to grow up this summer. You and Andreas seem different too. More mature."

"That's because we are in disciplined training now," Mathias said, "My father thought learning the Martial Arts would help us be better wizards. So we are studying it now."

Jasmine looked interested.

"Both of you? Really?" she asked him.

Mathias and Andreas nodded. Mathias hadn't told Jasmine the truth as to why they were in training, but managed to let her know they were so she wasn't left out of the loop.

"Do you think I could learn with you?" Jasmine asked Mathias.

Uh oh.

Mathias shook his head quickly.

"No, we have a very private, exclusive teacher. There is a two-student limit," Mathias lied. Jasmine looked at him.

"What's his name?" she asked.

"Can't tell you. Private and exclusive, remember?" Mathias said smugly.

Jasmine scowled at him.

"Perhaps we can show her some moves, Mathias," Andreas said, his black eyes resting on the witch. Jasmine brightened.

Now Mathias scowled at Andreas.

"What?" he said incredulously.

"I said we could teach her to fight. She could work out with us every morning," Andreas said. "We can teach her what we know."

Mathias harrumphed.

"No way. She couldn't possibly make it through one of our workouts. It would be a waste of time," he said as if Jasmine wasn't there. Suddenly he was hit hard in the shoulder. Really hard.

"I can do any workout you can do," Jasmine declared to the pale wizard, who smirked at her as he rubbed his shoulder.

"You think so?" he asked her rather silkily, arching an eyebrow at the witch.

"I've toughened up over the summer," she said evenly. "And I need some kind of outlet, Mathias. Something physical. Please give me a chance."

Mathias looked from Jasmine to Andreas. His brother was smiling encouragingly. He looked back at Jasmine, a doubtful look on his pale face.

"If you worked out and trained with us, it would mean we would get to kick your ass, Jasmine. Really kick it," Mathias said, "That's the only way you would learn anything. You'd have bruises and things. I know you don't want that."

"I don't care about bruises…and you will only kick my ass until I learn how to kick yours," she retorted, her ice-blue eyes narrowing.

Andreas smiled broadly at her courage.

Mathias frowned at her.

"You don't care about bruises? Jasmine, you got a pimple on your nose last year that was hardly even noticeable, and you wouldn't leave your room for two days," Mathias said.

"That was the old Jasmine," the witch replied, frowning. "I'm different now. Looks aren't everything."

Mathias gasped and clutched his heart as if her statement gave him an attack.

"Jasmine Malfoy is saying looks don't matter? Next thing you know she'll be saying muggles are people too," the wizard said sarcastically.

Jasmine looked at him coolly as they entered the Great Hall.

"They are," she said simply, but with conviction. "Some are very good people."

Mathias stopped in awe as the witch continued walking into the Great Hall. Andreas stopped too, smiling at the wizard.

"Did you hear that?" Mathias said shocked. Jasmine had always looked down on muggles as if they were another breed of animal all together.

Andreas nodded.

"It seems Jasmine learned a lot over the summer," the wizard said, looking after the witch. "I think we will find out there are many things different about Lady Jasmine Malfoy. We should train her."

Mathias looked at Andreas.

"All right. She can workout with us tomorrow morning. If she can keep up with us for a week, we'll start teaching her some moves," the wizard said.

Hmm. Having the right to kick Jasmine's ass all over Hogwarts rather appealed to Mathias. Tonks had effectively wiped away the "witches are the weaker sex" line. A female could break a wizard's face just as good as another wizard if she knew what she was doing.

Andreas nodded.

"Good. I think it will be a wise move," the wizard replied.

The two wizards entered the Great Hall. Mathias looked for Jasmine and saw her seated with the DKV members. She looked at him evenly as he scowled at her.

"She's joined them again," he hissed at Andreas. "I knew she didn't mean what she said about muggles. She's still a bigot."

Andreas sat down next to him.

"What you see isn't always the way things are, my brother. Most likely her father made her rejoin them. Her body is there…but not her heart, Mathias," Andreas said. "Look at her aura."

Mathias shifted his view and saw that Jasmine's aura was full of deception as she sat with the others. She wasn't with them. Not really.

"She's fooling them," he said, his dark eyes resting on her. "She is no DKV member."

"No," Andreas said, pulling plates toward him. "She's not. She is not a bigot either. Not anymore. Her father saw to that, though he doesn't know it."

Mathias looked at him.

"What are you talking about, Andreas?" the pale wizard asked.

"I saw what happened between her and her father. She did not want to serve Voldemort and to punish her, he sent her to an island to work as a muggle for the summer," the wizard said.

Mathias blinked at Andreas then looked back over at Jasmine, who was quietly eating as the DKV members chattered around her.

"Jasmine? Working? With her hands?" he said under his breath.

Andreas nodded as he bit into a healthy slice of jam-covered toast. He chewed, then swallowed.

"Yes, and harvesting is hard work. She probably is strong enough to get through our workout," the wizard said.

Mathias looked thoughtful. Jasmine hadn't said anything about having to work all summer. That must have been quite an ordeal for her.

It had been.

* * *

Jasmine arrived by port key to the island with nothing more than the clothes on her back. Draco had confiscated her wand and wasted no time sending her off.

"I'm sure you will have a change of heart after a few weeks of hard work," her father told her, a sneer on his face. "Someone will meet you. Just wait where you arrive." He gave her a bit of coconut shell.

Jasmine took the shell and looked at her father dispassionately. She had no words for him.

"Portis," she said.

Draco watched as his daughter disappeared. When she was gone, he sighed. He had to do it…he had to get Jasmine back on the right track. He'd rather have her unhappy than dead. It wasn't easy serving the Dark Lord, but that was the position they were in. Draco remembered balking when it was his turn, and how his father Lucius had literally beaten him into compliance in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. Then, when he was among the ranks, Draco saw for himself what happened to those who denied the Dark Lord. It was horrible. He didn't want that kind of sticky end for himself or his family and immediately set out to make himself indispensable to the Dark Lord…but the truth was, no one was indispensable.

Draco knew his daughter probably hated him right now, but he had to do what he had to do to protect her, even if that protection was painful.

* * *

Jasmine's first sensation was one of being engulfed in heat and humidity. She was standing on a seashore facing a jungle. Her father said someone would meet her. The witch looked up and down the shore and saw no one. She was dressed in muggle clothing, a t-shirt and jeans. The island was pretty enough, the sky blue, clouds white and birds wheeling in the distance, crying out to the sea.

"Jasmine!" an accented voice cried out from within the bush. The witch felt for her wand, then remembered she didn't have one.

"I'm here!" she called back.

A man with a shirt tied around his head walked out of the jungle. He was a muggle, very brown-skinned, with dark eyes and bad teeth. He was chewing something. A long, sword-like weapon was knotted to his side, and he looked her over, frowning slightly.

He shook his head.

"I ask for another worker and they send me you? Madre de Deus, they should have sent me a child rather than you," he griped as he looked at her fair skin.

"Let me see your hands," he demanded.

Jasmine held out her hands. The man swore.

"You've never worked a day in your life," he said to her accusingly.

Jasmine really hadn't. She didn't respond.

The man looked at her for a moment.

"Well, you're here now, and I need you. You'll just have to toughen up. My name is Juan and I am the overseer here. I give the orders, you do the work. Understand?" he said to her.

Jasmine nodded.

He looked at the witch again with undisguised disgust.

"All right, follow me," he said, walking back into the jungle.

Jasmine did so.

They walked for about twenty minutes and came to a clearing. There were two long buildings, and another smaller building. Fires were going and people walking about, some carrying sacks on their backs, others carrying wood and some others tending fires. They were men and women, almost all of them barefoot and their clothing coarse. The women were all in skirts and the men in pants or cut offs that stopped mid-shin. Everyone seemed to have something on their heads, wrapped shirts, bandanas or floppy hats. Everyone was brown or black skinned and Jasmine heard a language she was unfamiliar with being shouted across the camp. That's where she was, the camp.

Juan started walking toward the smaller building. Jasmine felt curious eyes on her as she followed him. Juan pushed open the screen door and walked inside, letting the door slam back. Jasmine pushed the door open. Inside were several rickety chairs and a counter.

"Sit down," Juan said, walking into the back.

Jasmine sat down and looked around the dirty little room. Dust was everywhere and lizards clung to the wall. They were tiny, brown and bright green in color. Juan reappeared with a bundle.

"Two changes of clothes, underwear, soft shoes, bed sheets and blanket," he said, setting the bag on the counter. Take them and go to the barracks on the right. That's the women's barracks and where you will live while you work here. Ask for Maria," Juan said, eyeing the witch. "She will get you settled in and tell you your duties."

Jasmine rose, walked over to the counter and gathered the bundle together, Juan's dark eyes resting on her, his head shaking slightly. Why would they send a girl like this? She knew nothing of hard work. She would spend the first week crying, he was sure. But crying or not…she would work. Even the children here worked.

Jasmine thanked Juan and exited the office, walking toward the barracks on the right as instructed. It was very long, made of logs and had a door at either end. She entered and saw that it was full of twin-sized bunk beds and women of all ages and sizes. Clothing was strung up everywhere and small children, some naked, ran up and down the center aisle, the women chattering at them as they laughed. A small, brown-skinned woman sat on the first bed, sewing together a torn shirt seam. She looked up at Jasmine with quick black eyes that swept over her. She looked to be about fifty years old, and her skin was weathered. She said something to Jasmine in that strange language.

"Maria," Jasmine said to the woman. "I need to find Maria."

The woman looked at her, then suddenly cried out, "Maria! Maria!" and said something unintelligible.

A heavy-set brown-skinned woman walked up the barracks. She had a polka dot pink bandana tied around her head, wore a skirt and a light tunic. The woman was big breasted, but didn't wear a bra. She stopped in front of Jasmine, put her hands on her hips, looked her over and said something to the woman sitting on the bed. The woman chuckled, shaking her head as she drew the long thread up then stuck the needle back through the fabric. The woman's dark eyes rested on Jasmine.

"What is someone like you doing someplace like this?" she asked Jasmine. "You aren't a worker. You have never worked. Why do they always do this to me?" she complained, turning. "Follow me."

The woman strode up the barracks and Jasmine followed her. She stopped at a bunk bed. There were two chests on either side of the bed. Maria pointed to the chest on the right side of the bed.

"That is where you will keep your things. It doesn't lock but we don't steal here," she said to the witch. Then the woman pointed to the top bunk. "You are young enough to climb, that is your bed."

Jasmine looked at the bed. It was small and lumpy. Sleeping on it was going to be uncomfortable. She hoped she didn't roll out of it. It was a little drop to the hard, earthen floor.

"We have three meals a day. You will eat breakfast here, carry lunch with you and have supper when we return from the fields. Normally the men and women eat together outside for supper. It is the biggest meal of the day. We rise early and come home late. On Sundays we rest and worship. All other days we work…hard. We must get the harvest in before the rains come eight weeks from now. If we do not get it all we only receive half-pay. They try and cheat us every year…so you must work hard. We all depend upon each other here. The money has to last us until the next harvest," Maria said eyeing her.

This young woman looked as if she had never been poor or knew the value of money. She was white and soft. Maria shook her head. She would find it hard here.

"What is your name?" Maria asked the witch.

"Jasmine," Jasmine replied.

"Jasmine, why did you take on this kind of work? You are not a worker," Maria said to her curiously.

"I didn't take it on. My father sent me here to teach me a lesson," Jasmine replied, setting her bundle on the floor and opening it.

"A lesson?" Maria asked, her eyebrow arched.

"Yes. I was disobedient. He felt working the summer would straighten me out," Jasmine said as she pulled out two sets of clothing, two coarse light skirts and two tunic-like shirts. She put them in the chest. Two pairs of large white cotton knickers were removed next.

Maria looked at the girl as she put her things away. So she was sent here for punishment. It was quite a punishment. If her father meant to humble her, she would certainly be humbled. Life was simple here. For Maria and the other women, it was life as usual. For Jasmine, it would probably be hell.

"What is he punishing you for?" Maria asked her, her voice softer now.

Jasmine looked at the muggle woman. She wasn't sure if she should tell her the truth or not. Then she shrugged. Maria studied the blonde witch.

"You will find, Jasmine…that women understand each other and comfort each other. Things are going to be hard for you the first few days. Your body is going to suffer from the heat, the sun and the work. The constant bending will make you ache and the constant picking will make your fingers bleed. You are going to need help and kindness from all of us. Being honest makes it easier to make friends here," she said evenly.

Jasmine looked at the woman.

"I'm here because I do not want to follow an evil leader who my father works for," Jasmine said. "He is cruel and wants to rule our world…and…and…"

Here Jasmine faltered. The only ones who knew she was to be a consort for Voldemort was Draco and Carla, the witch who was brutalized by the Dark Lord. Her eyes filled with tears.

"…when I turn eighteen, I have to go to him."

Maria looked at the witch sympathetically. She knew what that meant. In her culture, young girls were often betrothed to old men who were well off. Sometimes those men were very cruel.

"So he hopes to make you follow this man and marry him," Maria said.

Jasmine shook her head.

"No, not marry…just go to him when he wants me," Jasmine said.

Maria's eyes widened.

"What? You are not to marry him? Why would a father permit such a thing?" Maria gasped.

"Because the Dark Lord is powerful," Jasmine replied, sitting down on the edge of the lower bed, hoping whoever slept there wouldn't mind. "He is the most powerful wizard in our world."

Maria knew about the wizarding world, though she had never been to England. As a supervisory employee of one of the Malfoy's holdings, she was privy to this information. She had to be, because of the way they collected the harvest, by port key.

"You are a witch, then?" Maria asked her.

"Yes, but I can't do magic. I have no wand," Jasmine replied, trying to fight back her tears.

Maria's heart went out to Jasmine. She sat down on the bed beside her.

"It is hard when your family forces you to do what you do not wish to do. All you can to is listen to them until you can find your own way…always look for your own way, Jasmine. For now, make up your bed and get some sleep. It is Sunday, the one day we rest. I will wake you for supper."

Maria patted the witch on her shoulder and rose. She looked down on Jasmine kindly.

"We will help you adjust," the woman promised her, "We are all sisters here. We all know what it is to be controlled by men."

Maria's comment made Jasmine think of Andreas. He called her "little sister." Were all people of color so accepting?

"Thank you," Jasmine said, wiping her eyes as Maria departed.

Jasmine pulled a rather dingy sheet out of the bundle and went about making up her bed. When she was finished, she put the bundle itself in the chest and was about to climb up into the bed when she heard a giggle. She looked and saw a little brown-skinned girl with her hair up in ribbons, wearing nothing but a pair of too-large panties looking at her. She was cute. Jasmine gave her a small smile.

"Hello," she said to the child, who smiled back at her. The little girl said something indecipherable, then pointed to her hair.

Jasmine blinked at her, not understanding. The little girl tapped her head then plucked out a strand of her hair and offered it to Jasmine, pointing at the witch's hair. Then Jasmine understood. She wanted a strand of her hair, probably because it was blonde. Jasmine plucked a strand out of her head, took the black hair from the child and gave her the blonde strand. The little girl let out a cry of delight and ran away with her prize. Jasmine watched her go, and tucked the strand into her jean pocket. Again, she was about to climb into bed when she heard several more giggles.

Jasmine turned to see about ten children of varying ages, all holding out strands of hair to her and smiling brightly.

Oh good gods.

The witch started plucking.

* * *

A/N: That's the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 7" Thanks for reading. More to come. 


	8. Daddy Dearest Part 8

**Daddy Dearest Part 8**

When Maria woke Jasmine, it was dark outside. She could see flickering firelight through the windows. She hopped out of bed and had to go to the bathroom.

"Um, Maria…where's the loo?" she asked the muggle.

Maria crinkled her brow, perplexed.

"Loo? What is a loo?" she asked Jasmine.

"A bathroom…where I can…"

Jasmine jumped around a little. Maria's eyes widened.

"Oh, a place to shit," she said, grinning.

"Yes," Jasmine said reddening.

"Follow me," Maria said, smirking.

They walked to the door leading outside. A little spade was hanging next to it, with a loop of rope in the handle. Maria took it down and slipped the rope over Jasmine's wrist.

"What's this?" Jasmine asked her.

"The bathroom," Maria said, smiling broadly at her. There was also a flashlight hanging there, which she handed Jasmine.

Jasmine looked at the flashlight, then the spade, and then at Maria, her face contorted in disgust.

"You don't mean…" Jasmine said.

Maria pushed her out the door toward the jungle.

"Yes I do mean. Go dig a hole if you have to shit, use it then cover it up so no one steps in it. If you just have to pee, don't bother. The earth will drink it."

"What about toilet paper?" Jasmine asked.

"We have very big leaves here," Maria replied, wanting to laugh badly at Jasmine's expression. No porcelain bowls in the jungle, princess.

Jasmine really had to go, and walked gingerly into the forest.

"Don't go too far, and watch out for buttbiters," Maria called after her, grinning broadly as the flashlight clicked on.

"Buttbiters?" Jasmine called back, but Maria was gone.

There were no such things as buttbiters but Jasmine was new in the camp, so of course she would be teased. Jasmine walked until she found a relatively clear area. Holding the flashlight in one hand, she dug a small hole with the spade..

"This is disgusting," the witch thought as she pulled down her pants and knickers, squatted and pulled a huge leaf off a nearby bush.

Jasmine didn't have very good aim. Plus she was nervous about the buttbiters. So she missed the hole completely. The witch wiped with the huge leaf, dropped it into the hole as best she could, pulled up her pants and used the spade to cover everything with dirt then push it into the hole, her nose wrinkled. Jasmine had never thought of a loo as a luxury before. To make things worse, she heard giggling in the bushes. She shined the flashlight toward the sound and saw several sets of grinning teeth and bright eyes.

The children.

"Get out of here!" Jasmine yelled at them. They all scrambled, their laughter fading away toward the camp. They might not understand English, but they understood the witch was angry they had watched her poop.

Jasmine shined the flashlight on the spade to make sure she left nothing untoward on it, then walked back to the barracks and hung both the spade and the flashlight back in their spots, then she walked out into the center of the camp. The workers were sitting in circles around several fires, talking and eating. Their plates appeared to be made from large folded leaves. She smelled something exotic and delicious and her stomach growled. She looked around, not knowing where to sit.

"Jasmine, over here," called Maria waving her chubby arm.

Jasmine saw the muggle seated among several other women and walked over. All of the women cooed and shook their heads, making room for the witch, who sat down on the ground beside them. Immediately her hands were filled with a large leaf that had a brown steamed fish in it, with some strange vegetables and a flat piece of coarse bread. Jasmine stared at it. The fish still had its head on.

Maria said something to the women and they all laughed as they looked at Jasmine's expression.

"Go on, taste it. It's very good," Maria urged the witch. "It's snapper."

Jasmine would have never eaten this at home, just because of the way it looked. But she was starved.

"Can I have a fork?" she asked.

Maria translated this for the women and they fell against each other laughing again. A woman of about twenty years of age made a motion with her hands, telling Jasmine she had to eat with her fingers. Jasmine gingerly touched her fingertip to the fish and tasted the sauce. Her face split in a smile…it was delicious. She broke off a piece and put it into her mouth. It was flaky, meaty and tasted like a dream. She began to eat hungrily, egged on by the women who smiled in approval and commented to each other about the witch's hunger. Jasmine put some fish and vegetables into the flat bread and bit it. Oh, so good.

As she ate, Jasmine felt fingers lifting her hair. It was the young woman next to her, exclaiming over its color and softness. She said something to Maria.

"Anna wants to know if she can braid your hair, Jasmine. It will help keep your head cool when you are harvesting tomorrow. Otherwise your scalp will sweat and stink," Maria said, looking at Jasmine intently.

If the witch declined, the other women would think her unfriendly and not offer her help.

Jasmine realized Anna was trying to make things easier. She never had her hair braided before.

"Yes, I would like that," Jasmine said. She smiled at Anna. "Thank you."

Maria translated and the young woman blushed, then moved behind Jasmine and sat close to her, her brown legs spread out on either side of her, and began to comb through her hair with her fingers. Jasmine finished her food and Maria took the leaf from her. The women began to sing, and Jasmine listened, her eyes half closed as Anna gently and deftly braided her hair back in cornrows. Her hands felt wonderful and Jasmine leaned back against her body, feeling sleepy again.

All the women knew Jasmine's situation and found it horrible that her father would force her to lay with a man and not marry him.

"They are a strange people," they whispered among themselves as they looked at Jasmine. She was pale, but fair. "Our fathers would kill a man for even suggesting such a thing even if his daughter were ugly."

"Then to send her here when she has never worked. We must pray for him and for her," the women said to each other. And they did.

Anna found that Jasmine's hair would not stay braided at the ends on their own, so she made up a mixture of red clay and spittle and twisted it on the ends. Jasmine didn't know this, and perhaps it was better that way. She had dozed off.

When they were done, and the fires doused, Maria and the women gently woke Jasmine and walked to the barracks. They all stood around while she climbed into her bed, then said a prayer for her to have strength for the coming day, and retired.

* * *

The women were expected to pick one hundred pounds of "Gee-goh" per day, a plant that had a variety of uses for salves and potions. It was used to make general potions bases as well and was always in demand. The plant had a bulbous prickly flower that looked a lot like clover…and the stem was prickly as well. There was one smooth place near the root. The plant was to be pulled out of the ground, root intact and the dirt shaken off. The stem had to be held firmly or the plant would tear and the root would have to be dug up by hand.

Each woman was given four numbered sacks, which they tucked into their waistbands. Each sack when filled held about twenty-five pounds of Gee-goh. When they were full, the children would come and haul them to the overseer, Juan, who notated whose sack it was by the number, and how much it weighed.

Poor Jasmine was left far behind her first day, and was badly sunburned and sore as she bent over and over, trying to pull the plants and having to dig up almost every root. The women looked back at her sympathetically, but they had their own harvesting to do and could not stop to help her. At the end of a fourteen-hour day, she had only collected thirty-five pounds of Gee-goh. Juan looked at her. She was completely red, her fingers were raw and the witch was obviously in pain, unused to the standing and bending. He shook his head as she teetered toward the barracks.

Everyone was already seated around the fires eating when Jasmine staggered into camp. Every part of her ached and her hands were killing her. Maria and three other women came and helped her into the circle, exclaiming as she hissed when they touched her skin. The women clucked, and one brought over a salve and rubbed it into her cracked fingertips. Jasmine gasped at the burning sensation, then her fingers began to cool. She looked at the woman gratefully, and accepted her meal. She ate only half, and Maria looked at her worriedly.

"You must eat it all, Jasmine," she said to the witch.

Jasmine looked at her with bloodshot eyes. Anna moved closer to Jasmine.

"Eat," she said, picking up a bit of fish and pushing it to her lips. Jasmine opened and took the fish from Anna's fingers and ate it. The woman sat there and fed the witch until the food was all gone.

"Buena," she said softly to Jasmine, pulling the witch against her shoulder and caressing her head gently.

The women began to sing again, as Jasmine leaned against Anna and ached…but she found their voices soothing. She fell asleep. The next thing she remembered was waking up naked, and hands on her body. She was in the lower bunk bed and the women were covering her sunburnt body with salve gently. It cooled her skin, and Jasmine fell back to sleep.

The next morning she woke and Anna was by her bedside. She had a roll of tape and some bits of leaf. She helped Jasmine up and examined her. She was still red but not as bad as the night before. The salve must also have been for pain, because she didn't ache as badly. Anna gave Jasmine her clothes, and the witch pulled on the skirt, underwear and tunic, no bra. Then the woman placed bits of leaf on her fingertips and bound them in place securely with the tape. Breakfast was passed out. It consisted of fruit, warm milk and the flat bread. Jasmine didn't know where the milk came from, but she drank it down and felt strengthened. Then they went out to work again. And Jasmine returned in the same sad state, and once again the women tended her.

After about a week and a half, Jasmine improved. She ached less and her skin became less sensitive to the sun. She was actually tanning. She was up to sixty-five pounds of Gee-goh a day, which was almost double what she had done in the beginning. Of course Juan wasn't satisfied, because the loss added up. He would also have his pay cut in half if the workers did not deliver.

"You must work, harder, Jasmine. You are not pulling your weight and everyone can suffer because of you. Our budget does not cover another worker, plus it is too late in the season to get one at a good rate. You must improve," he said to her, his dark eyes hard. He spat at the ground and wiped his mouth as the witch walked past him.

Jasmine walked to the familiar circle of women now, greeting them and sitting down. A plate of food was handed to her and she picked at it. A woman across from her said something to Maria, nodding toward Jasmine.

Maria looked at the witch.

"Rosa wants to know what is wrong with you tonight?" Maria asked her.

"I'm not pulling my weight. I am not picking enough Gee-goh. All of you are going to suffer because of me," she said glumly, her eyes glistening. "I am slowing the harvest down."

Maria translated for all the women, who looked at Jasmine, shaking their heads. Another woman said something.

"Jasmine, don't worry. We have been cramming our bags with extra Gee-goh to cover you until you can pick your own full weight. You are not getting credit for it, but we are bringing in the right amount each day. Juan just wants you to work harder," she said comfortingly.

Jasmine looked around the circle of women, who sat quietly…the firelight flickering across their faces. These were the kindest people she had ever known, magical or otherwise. She felt her heart catch. How could she have ever thought that muggles were less than wizards and witches? That they were a blight on the earth? Gods, she had been so wrong. These women knew she couldn't keep up, and instead of being angry at her, they willingly picked up her slack without a word about it. Voldemort was wrong…so wrong. A muggle-born witch or wizard could have all these wonderful qualities plus magic. That seemed more a blessing than a curse to the wizarding world.

"I'm going to work harder," Jasmine promised Maria. "I'm going to pull my weight and help you get this harvest in without working harder than you have to."

Although Jasmine did not have her wand, that didn't stop her oath from taking effect. The women all gasped as they felt the magic swirl around them.

"What was that?" Maria asked her, her dark eyes wide.

"A wizard's oath. I have made a promise that I am bound to fulfill to all of you. If I do not fulfill it, I will pay for it," Jasmine said.

"You should not have done that, Jasmine," Maria said quietly. She explained what happened to the other women and what it meant to Jasmine. They all gasped and scolded the witch, who shook her head.

"You all have been so kind to me. I will be able to do what I said I'd do. I will pull my weight. I am going to pick a hundred pounds of Gee-goh tomorrow or die trying," she said with conviction.

Maria translated this, and the women all looked at her quietly for a moment, then began to smile and laugh. One woman said something to Jasmine and fell over laughing.

"Why are they laughing? What did she say?" Jasmine asked Maria, who grinned.

"She said you won't be the first worker to be buried by Juan in the Gee-goh fields," she replied.

Jasmine scowled at the women, which only had the effect of making them laugh harder. Then she too broke into a smile.

* * *

The next day Jasmine didn't gather one hundred pounds of Gee-goh plants. She gathered one hundred and two. She was exhausted, but she had never heard a word as satisfying as:

"Finally," from Juan, who spat and watched the witch walk by smiling smugly.

Maria and all the women greeted her that night with handclapping, smiles and hugs, and from that time until the end of the harvest, Jasmine Malfoy never tipped the scales at less than one hundred pounds.

On the final night, when all the harvest was in, and the pay was passed out, everyone received full pay, including Jasmine, who divided her money among Maria and the other women. She was rich after all and had no place to spend muggle money. The women were very grateful to her, and she was covered in kisses. That night there was a celebration with much food and music. Guitars, drums and flutes figured highly, and the women and men danced together for the first time since arriving on the island. They were kept separated by strict rules, but now…the rules were over and husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends came together joyously.

Jasmine sat before the fire, watching everyone dancing, tapping her foot and laughing as they whirled and gyrated. Maria might have been a large woman, but she could dance, swinging her ample hips seductively in the firelight, as her husband, who was skinny as a twig danced with her, his dark eyes glinting hungrily. The barracks were going to be rather empty tonight and the jungle would be singing with the voices of more than the night animals.

Jasmine was watching Anna dance with a handsome, much older man when a shadow fell across her. A young black man with a bright smile held out his hand to her.

"Dance?" he asked Jasmine, who was taken by surprise.

"Er…no…I don't know how to…" she began.

"Dance!" the young man said, shaking his hand at her more urgently, still smiling but refusing to leave.

Maria and Anna danced over and hoisted Jasmine to her feet and threw her into the young man's arms, and before she could protest, he had pulled her out near the fire and began to dance, holding both her hands and whirling her about. The women egged her on from the sidelines, Maria coming out to show her how to swing her hips and kick her feet. Caught up in the fun Jasmine did quite well, the young man's smile growing broader as Jasmine danced wildly around him, clapping her hands and swinging her hips, glowing in the firelight, her skirt swaying invitingly.

Then another older brown-skinned man pushed the younger worker out of the way good-naturedly and began to dance with Jasmine, who laughed and took his hand. They bounded around the fire. Another man, then another took their place, all wanting to dance with the "littlest sister." Jasmine couldn't remember having a better time in all her life. Everyone was so free and uninhibited. Finally the fires burned low, and the couples drifted away into the dark for another more intimate kind of dancing.

Jasmine, happy and tired, returned to the barracks. They were almost empty…only the very young and very old were in their beds. She climbed into her top bunk, and laid there, her hands pressed to her belly. Soft cries echoed beneath the sound of the night creatures and Jasmine knew the workers were celebrating their harvest in a very old and ancient way. No doubt in nine months or so, there would be another harvest among the women.

Jasmine sighed. She didn't know what it was like, but it sounded…beautiful. Then like a dark cloud, the thought of Voldemort closed over her. When her eighteenth birthday came, so would her deflowerment…and she knew it would not be anything she would enjoy or remember with fondness. She was going to be deflowered and brutalized by a man less than human. She held herself tightly. It wasn't worth it. The power, the status, it all seemed so empty and hollow now. It wasn't real. Real people didn't live for those things. They lived for Life. The harshness and the beauty of it. Real people like Maria, Anna, Rosa and all the other people she had met on this island.

They weren't rich, but they were happy. They worked hard at it, and saw rewards. Never had she attended a celebration so simple but so rich. They were free to live and love as they wished and that was the most beautiful part of it all.

Before she left, Maria had a heart to heart talk with Jasmine. They sat side by side on the lower bunk.

"This wizard…this Voldemort…is there no way you can avoid him, Jasmine?" the muggle asked her gently, her dark eyes full of sympathy.

Jasmine looked at Maria.

"He won't touch me if I'm not a virgin. But I am sure that only means sexually. He seems so cruel he would probably punish me another way if he found out I was with someone before him," the witch said, twisting her hands.

Maria blinked at her. The poor girl. What choices did she have? What a cruel world she came from where fathers gave their daughters to men of power simply because they had power. Did they value daughters so little? Her people believed women were to be honored, because it is they who bring new life into the world. They are not to be mistreated. Maria considered. If it were she, what would she choose? Maybe punishment rather than desecration.

"Then you must decide, Jasmine…which is the lesser evil. To give your most precious gift to a man who will abuse it, or to be punished for making your own decision whom to lie with for the first time. Only you can decide that, my chica," the woman said, caressing the witch's hair.

Jasmine laid her head against Maria's shoulder and cried as if her heart would break.

"I wish I could stay with you, Maria. With the women here," she said softly, sniffing. "The work is hard, but it is so much better here. I can be myself here. There's no pretense, no falseness. People love each other here and are judged by their character and nothing else," she whispered. Maria patted her back and rocked Jasmine as if she were a little child.

"You can be yourself wherever you are, Jasmine. You do not have to pretend or be false unless you are protecting yourself. You can carry what you've learned about people here, back to your home and teach others. It seems such understanding is badly needed where you come from," the muggle said.

"I'm only one person," Jasmine breathed against Maria. "There are thousands of DKV members who follow an organized hate system. What can I do against them?"

"Surely there are those who do not believe such things," Maria said.

Jasmine fell silent.

"There are, but I don't know them…and even if I did, they wouldn't trust me. I'm a Malfoy, and Malfoy is practically synonymous with Voldemort in the wizarding world. My father and grandfather are faithful followers, part of his inner circle…among his most trusted."

Jasmine paused.

"There is Andreas. And Mathias," Jasmine said. "Andreas is a pureblood but because he is black, he is ostracized. Mathias is a halfblood and destined to take Voldemort's mark, but he doesn't want to. He doesn't believe in him. I don't think he ever did."

She looked up at Maria.

"My father is going to make me join the young DKV again. I am going to have to do it or he will make my life miserable," Jasmine said.

"Then join again, but only in body…not in heart. Make your time easier until you can decide what to do," Maria advised her. "Maybe watch for weaknesses. Maybe you can do something from within. Maybe share your stories from this place with those willing to listen."

"Maybe," Jasmine said.

Maria felt so much like what a mother should feel like to the witch. Her own mother, Eloise, had never been very maternal. From the time she was born, her mother counted on house elves and nannies to handle Jasmine as she visited country after country, discretely running through lover after lover, spending Draco's ample galleons, staying home only long enough to try to get pregnant again and provide him with a male heir until she finally succeeded.

Jasmine only saw Eloise twice this year, once while she was on her way out the door, heading for Morocco, the other when she was leaving for Hogwarts. Jasmine's brother, Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy the Second was a year and a half old, and with his birth, Eloise was freed to do what she wished as long as she didn't openly embarrass Draco. Rumors were one thing, but if she were caught dirty, there would be hell to pay. So Eloise was quite careful how she moved in the international circles.

She had no love of the Dark Lord, however, particularly since the Sweet Sweet incident, so stayed away. She was of little worth other than breeding stock, so Voldemort didn't care one way or the other as long as Draco met his needs. The Dark Lord knew that if he threatened to do anything to Eloise, Draco would probably go out of his way to let it happen, so he could be free of her.

Maria and Jasmine talked far into the night, muggle and pureblood bonding deeper than Jasmine ever thought possible. She listened to what Maria had to say and tucked it inside her heart.

When Jasmine left the island two days later, tears pouring down her face as she kissed the women goodbye, she took much more with her than calloused hands and sun kissed skin. She took a new heart back to England with her.

A heart she would never lock down with senseless hate again.

* * *

Jasmine was waiting in the common room at five o'clock in the morning, dressed in an ice-blue sweat suit and white trainers. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and a towel wrapped around her neck.

Both Mathias and Andreas walked down the stairs yawning and stretching, similarly dressed, both in black sweat suits and white trainers. Mathias looked at Jasmine, who looked quite fresh. She should. She'd been waking up at five am for the entire summer, and taking freezing baths in the river before starting her day. Now she had the luxury of hot water and a loo, and she really appreciated them.

"Good morning," she said to Mathias and Andreas.

Andreas gave her a rather sleepy smile, while Mathias looked decidedly grumpy. He walked up to her.

"Let me see your hands," he said, scowling at her.

"Why?" she asked him, frowning right back.

"I just want to see them," he demanded.

Jasmine stepped back but Mathias reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her right hand forward and turning it so he could see her palm. As he suspected, her fingertips and palms were calloused.

"What did you do this summer, Jasmine?" Mathias asked her.

"I went to the Caribbean," she said, trying to make it sound as if she were on vacation without lying as to where she was.

Andreas and Mathias looked at each other, Andreas smirking a bit. It was a good try.

"Why didn't you tell me…er…us your father was sending you away to work?" Mathias asked her, still holding on to her wrist.

Shit. Mathias and Andreas knew.

"How do you know about it?" she asked him.

"Word gets around," Mathias lied.

Actually, the fact that Jasmine was sent away to work was all over the DKV. It was even written up in their newsletter under the heading, "How to Handle Wayward Children." Draco's methods had been applauded as well as the seemingly successful outcome of Jasmine obediently rejoining the Young DKV club. It was as if the wizard was Father of the Year. He even got fan mail from other DKV parents who were having trouble with their children. He gave harsh advice, from beatings to downright incarceration. Of course, the information got back to Slytherin house. And Severus.

The Potions Master had been observing the witch since she returned, and noticed a marked difference in her behavior. First, she did not spend her first two weeks back at Hogwarts tormenting the new first year witches as she usually did, establishing herself as the Alpha fifth-year witch. Nor did Jasmine seem to spend as much time with her brood of cackling witches as she used to, which actually made her the subject of a lot of malicious gossip among the girls, who said her spirit had been broken.

He did note that in the Great Hall she sat with her fellow DKV members rather than Mathias and Andreas as she did at the end of last year, but he still saw her with them in the halls. She didn't seem to mesh with the DKV as she used to. She was quieter too, more thoughtful. No doubt her summer had changed her very much. For the good or the bad he wasn't sure. But the witch definitely was different. More mature as well. She was growing up.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at Mathias, and pulled her wrist out of his grip. The wizard's eyes flicked over her angrily for a moment, then calmed.

"I didn't tell you because there was nothing you could do about it, Mathias. I didn't want to talk about it…it would have been useless and just made me more upset. I went, did what I was supposed to do, and came back," Jasmine said evenly.

"If you had let me know, I could have sent you a wand or something," Mathias said. He began walking toward the common room entrance. Andreas and Jasmine fell in step.

"I didn't need magic. People can live without magic, you know. Good lives," she responded. "Happy lives."

Mathias and Andreas looked at each other. Was this Jasmine Malfoy or a doppelganger that simply looked like her?

"Better not let your DKV buddies hear you say that, Jasmine. That's blasphemy," Mathias said soberly.

"They aren't my buddies. I'm just doing what my father says to keep him off my back," Jasmine said.

That made sense. She was a Slytherin after all.

"I haven't forgotten what Franklin said to me, either. His is the first ass I'm going to kick…after yours," Jasmine said, looking sidelong at Mathias. Andreas barely managed to keep from laughing.

Mathias gave Jasmine a long, lingering gaze just like his father's gaze when he was thinking something completely inappropriate. But in Mathias' case, it consisted of slamming Jasmine hard to the mats a few times until she ran crying from the ROR. He didn't plan on making this easy for her. He really hoped she could keep up with their morning regime. If she wanted to learn to fight, he'd teach her to fight…the hard way. No prisoners.

They exited Hogwarts proper and walked on to the grounds.

"Warm-ups, Jasmine. Just do what we do," Mathias said, snapping his head back and forth, then jumping around a bit. Then he and Andreas began stretching. The boys were very limber, Andreas able to do a one hundred and eighty degree split. They stretched every limb and Jasmine kept up with them as best she could. Then they began to do sit-ups. Three hundred of them. They soon left Jasmine in the dust, but she kept working until she completed them. Then there were push-ups, one and two handed. She could only do two one-handed pushups with her right arm and none with her left. The boys could each do fifty one-handed push-ups with each arm, probably more but Kingsley warned them to stick to the amount of exercises he gave them. He didn't want them getting too bulky.

They alternated each morning between exercising outdoors and weight training in the room of requirement. Again, Kingsley made the boys promise not to lift large amounts. Only enough to keep them strong and toned. He wasn't trying to turn them into muscle men and Andreas was already showing signs of getting too broad across the chest, which would inhibit the strength of his blows if he weren't careful.

They watched Jasmine struggle.

"See, I told you she wouldn't be able to keep up," Mathias said to Andreas as he watched Jasmine. He noticed that she had become more…womanish over the summer. She was getting curves and taller too. She wasn't weak though. Actually, Jasmine was much stronger than he thought she'd be.

"We weren't able to keep up when we first started either. Remember that first morning with Kingsley, when Tonks demonstrated the exercises?"

Yes, Mathias remembered. He was left gasping in the dust on the one-handed push-ups. He did about six while Tonks was on her twentieth and showed no signs of stopping. It was as if the witch was all muscle, but she wasn't bulky. She was slender actually. No one who saw her would think the Auror was so strong.

"Well, we'll give her some time. Who knows? She's going to be so sore tonight, she might want to quit before she gets started," Mathias said, watching the witch do a fairly decent backbend. He twisted his head slightly as he looked at her arched over.

Andreas watched his brother watch Jasmine.

"Do you want her to quit, brother?" he asked the wizard in a low voice.

Jasmine kicked her legs over and stood up cleanly.

"No," Mathias said, his eyes glittering. Then he added, "It would be nice if she could protect herself hand to hand."

Andreas smirked at the wizard.

"Yes. It would be," he agreed, focusing his eyes on Jasmine as she wiped her face with the towel and walked up to them.

"I did it…well what I could. I just need more time," she said.

Mathias snorted and walked away from her, breaking into a jog.

"Come on, little sister. Time for a run around the perimeter of Hogwarts," he said, taking off after Mathias.

Jasmine looked a bit daunted.

"But that's a couple of kilometers," she said.

"You're right!" Andreas called back, jogging off after Mathias.

Jasmine sighed and started after them.

After about an hour she caught up to the boys and sprawled on the grass, rolling over on her back panting. Mathias walked over to her, caught her by the wrists and yanked her up from the ground.

"What are you doing? I'm exhausted," she complained.

"You have to walk it off or you'll get bad leg cramps, particularly first time out," he said high-handedly. Jasmine scowled at him, but began to walk in a large circle until she got her breath back.

"Now what?" she asked Mathias. Andreas answered her.

"Now time for a quick dip in the lake," he said.

"Ew, I'm not going in there. It's full of squid piss. Plus, it's not allowed," she said.

Mathias and Andreas started heading for the lake. Jasmine scowled, then followed them.

What Jasmine didn't realize was that after weeks of exposure to Tonks, the two wizards had no hesitation stripping down to the buff in front of a female any longer. So when they got to the lake, both Andreas and Mathias stripped down to their altogether as if she wasn't there.

"What are you doing?" she screamed at them, her eyes on their naked behinds. Mathias started to turn around.

"Don't! Don't turn around. Just…just go," she yelled at him.

Mathias looked over his shoulder and gave her a wicked smirk before walking over to a small ledge and jumping into the water, followed by Andreas, who whooped as he landed with a splash and began swimming strongly. Hell, Jasmine wanted to hang out with the boys, didn't she? She needed to know that sometimes…the boys hung out.

Mathias swum out a few feet, then turned to the shore, treading water.

"You know, Jasmine…this is part of our training regime. If you want us to teach you, you're going to have to swim with us," he called, sure this was enough to send the witch running.

Jasmine scowled at Mathias. She knew he was trying to drive her off. Well, she wasn't going to give up that easy. She had bathed naked with the women on the island, sometimes in plain sight of the male workers, who whistled appreciatively but didn't do anything else. She wasn't comfortable enough to swim naked with the two wizards however…but who said she had to be completely naked?

Scowling at Mathias, Jasmine opened her sweat jacket and took it off. She had on a female version of a wife beater beneath it. She wasn't wearing a bra. Jasmine then pulled off her trainers and her socks.

Both boys were watching her now.

"Damn, she's going to do it, Mathias," Andreas said, watching as Jasmine began untying her sweatpants string.

Mathias didn't say anything. He just stared at her as she pulled her sweatpants down, stepped out of them and stood in her knickers. They were pink. Andreas' eyebrows rose, and Mathias just continued to stare, saying nothing. Jasmine met Mathias' eyes defiantly, then sprinted for the ledge and dove in, reappearing very close to the boys.

In the early morning light, the white wife beater didn't leave much to the imagination, though for the most part Jasmine kept her breasts underwater as she tread. She wiped the water from her face and looked at the boys with wicked, narrowed ice-blue eyes. Mathias felt a pulse in his belly as he looked at the witch.

"You want to swim?" Jasmine said to Mathias and Andreas, "Let's swim then."

She dove underwater again then surfaced several feet away, swimming strongly out to deeper water. Squid piss be damned.

Mathias and Andreas looked at each other, then took off behind her, determined not to be outdone by a girl in pink knickers.

* * *

Try as he might, Mathias couldn't catch Jasmine. She was a strong swimmer and managed to stay out of reach. They swam about for almost forty-five minutes playing water tag. Mathias did grab Jasmines ankle once, and she squealed, slipping away frantically, disappearing under the surface for almost a full minute. The witch popped up a couple of hundred feet away from the wizard and heading for shore.

Jasmine was an excellent swimmer and had been introduced to the water as a very small child. Draco also enjoyed swimming and used to carry her deep out into the water and let her splash around. Once she got her bearings, you couldn't keep her away from taking a dip when the opportunity presented itself. The lake was not the ideal swimming hole but the witch found she enjoyed it, despite the presence of the squid and other things the lake contained. A shower would take care of all the ickiness.

Part of Jasmine's speed this morning was based on the fact that a naked young wizard was trying to grab her. Mathias' only intentions were to dunk her a few times, but still. Jasmine didn't want to come in contact with him at all. Andreas was more focused on plain swimming and watching Mathias pursue Jasmine, a grin on his face. The witch easily outdistanced him. He knew his brother was beginning to gravitate toward the witch, though there was still time.

Jasmine staggered to the shore and ran for her clothing. She pulled her wand out of her sweat pants pocket and dried and scourgified herself, then quickly dressed. She heard splashing behind her but didn't turn around as the boys exited the lake, Mathias panting heavily and watching the witch as he dried and dressed himself. Andreas did the same. Jasmine waited until she heard them walking toward her.

"Well, you two might have me beat exercise and fighting-wise, but I can swim circles around the both of you," she said with a hint of a gloat.

They started walking back toward the castle.

"I've just never applied myself to swimming," Mathias responded, his face in a scowl. Jasmine really was a better swimmer than he was.

Andreas didn't say anything. He knew Jasmine could out swim him, but he was fine with it.

"So, when will you start training me to fight?" Jasmine asked the both of them.

"You must work out more, strengthen up. Then we will teach you," Andreas said. "Maybe in about a week, if you don't give up."

"I have no intentions on giving up," Jasmine said, giving Mathias a narrow-eyed look. She knew Andreas was all for her learning to fight, but it seemed like Mathias wanted her to fail. "If you two can learn, I know I can."

Mathias looked at her and snorted. He was in a bad temper because the witch was better at swimming than he was. The wizard was very competitive in nature. Well, when they got into the workout room, Jasmine would learn her place quickly.

* * *

A week went by, and Jasmine showed marked improvement. She had joined them in the weight room and did well. She wore female boxers, a sports bra and t-shirt when working out in the ROR, and her feminine attributes were much more noticeable. Mathias seemed to be in a perpetual bad mood when Jasmine was present and he was very hard on her. Andreas took him to the side after he had browbeaten her for not keeping her arms straighter when she did her bench presses.

"Why are you being so rough on her, brother?" Andreas asked.

"Because, if I'm not, she won't learn. Tonks isn't easy on us," Mathias said to the wizard.

"But Tonks does not insult us. Telling Jasmine she has all the form of a flubberworm is not going to help her confidence. Stick to the facts only, Mathias. She will respond better," Andreas advised.

Finally, the time came to teach Jasmine some fighting moves. She stood in front of Mathias with headgear, elbow and kneepads, five-finger gloves and a chest protector, since her breasts could be hurt. Andreas stood a short distance away, leaning against the padded walls the ROR had generated, watching Mathias with a slight frown on his face.

Mathias' black eyes glinted at Jasmine.

"Come at me," he said, "Try to take me down. Let me see what you've got."

Jasmine didn't have much in the way of skill. She could probably beat up a couple of witches in a girl-fight, scratching and hair pulling, but she had no martial arts skills at all. Still she charged Mathias, gloves extended like claws and went for his eyes. Mathias swept her legs out from under her and she hit the mat hard on her back. He gave her a nasty little smile.

"What were you trying to do? Scratch my eyes out? I'm not a witch, Jasmine. You can't charge me with the intention of pulling my hair out by the roots," he said as she stood back up. "Now, try something else."

Mathias took a relaxed defensive stance.

Jasmine stood there a moment, then ran forward and tried to kick the wizard. Mathias easily caught her foot, again swept her leg and threw her. Once again the witch fell on her back, harder than before. She groaned and lay there, aching as Mathias looked down on her coldly.

Andreas scowled from the sidelines. Mathias was being too rough with the witch.

Jasmine rolled over to her hands and knees, and rested a moment before she got up unsteadily, staring at Mathias, who smirked at her.

"Ready to quit?" he asked her.

"No," she replied.

"Well, you'd better come up with something better than that," the wizard said.

Jasmine took a deep breath. Fine. She'd punch him then.

Jasmine took up what she thought was a defensive stance, then inched closer to Mathias. He let her. Finally she got close enough to take a swing at him. She was slow and weak. Mathias slipped the punch and gave Jasmine a truly vicious blow to the side of the head that dropped the witch to the mat. She saw stars, and struggled to get her bearings, scrambling around on the mats. Andreas ran forward.

"What are you doing?" he said to Mathias.

"Teaching her what happens when she approaches a better fighter," Mathias said, looking down at the witch, who was sitting up and holding both sides of her head in an attempt to keep it from spinning.

"You hit her too hard," Andreas seethed at him.

The two wizards stared at each other, their eyes hard.

"Who is teaching her, Andreas…you or me?" Mathias asked him.

"From now on, me…at least until she gets her basic skills," Andreas said evenly.

"Tonks didn't give us any breaks when we came at her," Mathias said as Jasmine slowly rose, still disoriented.

"Yes, but we had basic skills, Mathias. We already knew defensive moves…how to block and dodge blows as well as how to deliver them. Jasmine doesn't know any of that. She is like a baby when it comes to fighting," Andreas said.

"You are going to baby her, Andreas. She's not going to learn anything that way. Jasmine needs to want to avoid getting knocked down all the time," Mathias said. "And she needs to know what it feels like for real."

"She needs to learn the basics, Mathias. Blocking, punching and kicking exercises first. How to fall properly. Then she might have a chance to dodge a blow like that, or land an effective punch or kick, " Andreas argued. "You're just beating on her."

Mathias looked at Jasmine. Her eyes were wet, but she looked determined.

"Who do you want to teach you, Jasmine? Andreas or me?" he asked the witch.

Jasmine looked from one wizard to the other.

"I thought you both would teach me," she said slowly. She didn't want to choose one over the other.

Mathias scowled at her, then looked at Andreas.

"We can settle this, brother. Three strikes. The winner teaches her the basics," he growled at Andreas, whose dark eyes glinted at him.

"Fine," he said, going to the bench and putting on his gear, his face set.

Jasmine watched Andreas gear up, then looked at Mathias anxiously.

"What's three strikes?" she asked him.

"We fight full contact and the first one to land three effective blows, wins," Mathias said, stretching and watching Andreas approach, punching his fist into his hand. The wizard looked positively murderous. He put his mouthpiece in.

"Go sit down, Jasmine," Mathias said, his dark eyes resting on his opponent.

Mathias and Andreas were very close, truly like brothers…but they were competitive too and had many full contact battles. They were very closely matched. Whenever they met like this, both were deadly serious. Bones were often fractured and noses broken. But both knew healing spells and mended each other when they finished.

Jasmine hesitated, then walked over to the bench and sat down. She felt bad she had brought the boys to this. She had been dazed when they were arguing but caught some of what Andreas had said…and she agreed with him. She didn't really know the basics of fighting. It wasn't fair of Mathias to just beat her up. She'd remember this though. He'd pay for it one day.

The two boys paced off about ten feet and bowed to each other, then took their stances, Mathias' hands slightly curled, his feet in a t-stance, right foot forward. Andreas echoed the same stance. They stared at each other a moment, then charged, throwing a flurry of hard kicks and blows, blocking each other with arms and legs, circling as each wizard tried his best to break through the other's defenses.

Mathias got through with powerful front kick that staggered Andreas back. He wasn't hurt but the younger wizard scored.

"That's one for me," Mathias panted.

Andreas regrouped and let Mathias advance on him. At the last minute, Andreas dropped and locked both legs around Mathias' and twisted, throwing him to the ground.

"And one for me, brother," Andreas grinned at him, jumping up.

Mathias scowled and rose to his feet, pretending to brush off, then charging Andreas, running into him. The boys began to grapple, attempting and breaking holds, their legs shuffling as they wrestled. Andreas managed to twist Mathias into a full nelson, but the wizard threw his weight forward and slung the black wizard over his back so he landed hard on his back.

Jasmine winced. They certainly fought each other ferociously to be such good friends.

Andreas got up slowly.

"That's two for me," Mathias gloated, "One more, then Jasmine's little ass is mine."

Jasmine raised her eyebrows at this.

"Go Andreas! Kick his arrogant pale ass!" Jasmine shouted from the sidelines.

Mathias turned to look at her in shock and Andreas kicked him in the side of the head, taking him down.

Jasmine covered her mouth with her hands at the sneaky blow. Andreas looked over at her.

"Thanks, Jasmine," he called to her as Mathias got up off the mat, his black eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared.

"That's two for me," Andreas said, grinning darkly.

"Dirty blow," Mathias hissed.

Andreas shrugged. He said one word in response.

"Slytherin."

Mathias wiped his nose and nodded. He knew what that meant. Expect anything from a Slytherin who wanted to win. He should have known better than to look away. Andreas was no fair-play Gryffindor.

Mathias feinted, then charged, leaping into the air with a flying front kick. Andreas spun at the last minute, dipped and caught the wizard with a nasty elbow in the face that burst Mathias' nose open. Blood flew as he landed and rolled to his feet.

"And that's three, brother," Andreas said with satisfaction as Mathias wiped at his nose, his palm full of blood.

Jasmine had screamed when the blood burst from Mathias' nose and now raced to him, towel extended. She moved his hand and tilted his head back, holding the towel to it and scowled at Andreas, who looked amused at her anger.

"Why did you have to hit him so hard?" she asked Andreas.

"He was going to kick my head off," Andreas replied.

"But you ducked. You could have pulled your blow," she said.

"No. Mathias never pulls blows, as you should know," Andreas said, rather testily now, "However, if you think I've won unfairly, you can let him continue to teach you."

Jasmine looked at Mathias. Even with his head tilted back, she could see a bit of malice in his eyes. He would continue to kick her ass if she went on with him.

"No. I think it would be better and safer if you taught me, Andreas," she said, leaning Mathias' head forward slowly and checking the towel and his nose. The bleeding had stopped but it was rather purple. Mathias took the towel from Jasmine and dabbed it to his nose again, to make sure the bleeding had stopped.

"Fine, Andreas. You have one month to train her in the basics," he said, walking for the exit door. "Then, I'll test her. If she hasn't improved, then she's out. It won't make any sense to continue."

Mathias exited the ROR. If he had been wearing robes, they certainly would have billowed.

Both Andreas and Jasmine looked after him a moment, and then at each other.

"He really wants to get me, doesn't he Andreas?" Jasmine asked the wizard.

Andreas shook his head.

"No, little sister. He really wants you to learn. He is just…overzealous in his methods. Mathias, although he is my brother…has violent tendencies because he has such anger inside. He contains it for the most part but it seems he lets off steam physically. This is his only outlet. When he becomes older…he may find other ways."

"Why is he so angry?" Jasmine asked Andreas.

Mathias was angry because of the Dark Lord's threat. He felt time wasn't moving fast enough, and wanted the wizard dead yesterday. The boy was frustrated. If Mathias had his way, he would try to kill the Dark Lord now, and would most likely be killed. For the time being fighting, hard physical contact was the only way he could relieve the pressure and frustration. Possibly later on, when he matured…he would find a hardy witch and follow his father's example of relieving stress. A far more pleasurable way to be sure. But Andreas couldn't tell Jasmine that.

"I can't say. I just know he is. Mathias expects everyone to be the best they can be, and to work hard at it, and be able to pass any test they are given. When he goes for you a month from now, you are going to have to make a decent showing, Jasmine. I will train you, but you are going to have to do a lot on your own, especially the exercises. I am going to teach you the basics, and give you a pensieve of my own training sessions when Mathias taught me. You are to emulate everything you see, copy the moves in tangent with my movements almost like a dance. I will teach you how to hit, kick and block with power. Also how to fall properly. All you need do is take Mathias down once, and he will concede you have learned something. Then we will both train you. Are you willing to do this? If you aren't, then it is better we don't waste our time."

Jasmine didn't have to think twice. Mathias had really put it to her. She would love to take him to the mat, preferably painfully and more than once.

"I am very willing, Andreas," she said, her ice-blue eyes narrowed with purpose. Andreas shifted to aura view and saw deep rich green of determination permeating all of her auras, which was a good sign of someone who was committed. This was a different hue of green than that of ambition, but very close.

Mathias might have quite an exam on his hands.

* * *

Jasmine continued to grow stronger, going out with Andreas and Mathias to workout every morning. She was sort of an outcast with the witches now, though no one had the nerve to confront her about the way she had changed over the summer. Her disappearances during the evenings and on the weekends were a subject of interest. Her fellow Slytherins knew she wasn't with Mathias and Andreas, who left the grounds with the Professor a few nights a week and on weekends, but they never knew where she went.

Attempts were made to follow her, but Jasmine was quite gifted with spells now, and would disillusion herself and find a niche to hide in, waiting for her pursuers to pass. Then she would go off to the Room of Requirement where she would be safe from discovery as she trained. The ROR was attuned to the importance of its usage. This was no mere training the trio was doing, but something meant to remove the biggest threat there was to the wizarding world, Lord Voldemort. That was important enough for the room not to allow them to be disturbed by anyone. Possibly, the only ones who could enter the room while they were in it, was Dumbledore or Severus, since they were aware of the training. Neither knew about the degree to which Jasmine was getting involved however. And Jasmine never knew her training was considered important beyond her own personal desire to learn. But obviously, the ROR did.

The ROR was indispensable to the witch's training in another way. When she first brought the pensieve to the room, instead of the witch sitting still and practicing internally while viewing the pensieve, the ROR itself became a reflection of the pensieve, so Jasmine could physically follow Andreas' moves and strategies. It also provided a mobile heavy bag so she could punch and kick as it moved around, following the motions Mathias made as Andreas battled him. This was as close to a golem as the Hogwarts ROR could get…it still helped Jasmine immensely by letting her develop her striking power.

"Oof!" Andreas said, nearly doubling over when Jasmine kicked him in the stomach. He straightened and rubbed his throbbing solar plexus. She had managed to get through his defenses.

"That's quite a kick you've developed," he gasped.

Jasmine smiled at him brightly.

"Well with the running, weight-training and ROR workouts, I've gotten stronger," she said.

"Ok, show me the exercises," Andreas said.

Jasmine took her stance, centered herself and began the "dance" as she called it, first starting with blocks, then blows and kicks, then doing several heavy falls. Andreas nodded with approval.

"Do it again," he said, standing in front of her. He threw pulled blows as Jasmine went through her blocks and she met all of them. Then he threw some that weren't in her regime and she blocked them all as well, very quickly. He raised his eyebrows at her.

"That is extremely good, Jasmine…it's only been two and a half weeks," he said approvingly. Then they sparred and Andreas found Jasmine very hard to hit. The witch actually swept his feet out from under him. The wizard looked up at her and smiled broadly.

"You are a much faster study than I was," he said as Jasmine pulled him easily to his feet. "I think Mathias is going to be in for a surprise."

Actually, Mathias was rather pissed at Andreas, who wouldn't even allow him to watch Jasmine work out.

"You may distract her," Andreas said. "Anyway, we don't want to give away any secrets."

Mathias snorted.

"Secrets? What kind of secrets? The secret of how high she'll bounce when I throw her on her ass?" he asked his brother sarcastically. Andreas only gave him a rather superior smile, which made Mathias even angrier.

One evening he attempted to follow Andreas disillusioned. Andreas turned a corner and Mathias turned it after him, only to be pulled into a tight chokehold by Andreas, who throttled the wizard good before releasing him, coughing and gasping.

"No cheating," Andreas had said, and left the wizard gasping in the corridor, furious.

They worked it out in their next sparring match however. Tonks had to physically separate the two wizards who seemed bent on killing each other. A few hours of heavy workout calmed them down immensely, ending when Tonks laid on her back across both of their backs as the boys did side-by-side push-ups until they dropped.

"That'll teach you to break when I say break," Tonks said evenly, still lying on top of them as the boys panted, sprawled on the floor, exhausted.

Finally, the day of reckoning arrived. Mathias was ready to thrash Jasmine, who had been rather uppity the whole month, walking away from him when he tried to talk to her, saying Andreas had given her strict instructions not to fraternize with the enemy. It was as if they had formed a united front against him. Well, he was going to dissolve that front in a very painful way for Lady Jasmine Malfoy.

He and Jasmine faced each other in the ROR, geared up and ready. Mathias' black eyes washed over her stance. It was certainly much better than he expected. The way she held her hands was different too. She didn't look so much like an angry cat ready to strike. But it was her eyes that showed the most difference. They were cool, controlled. She didn't look nervous at all, and her gaze was steady. She didn't watch his hands and feet now, but met his eyes steadily.

"Ready for a beat down, witch?" Mathias asked her, a dark smirk on his face, "I hope you bought some salve for mat burns."

Jasmine didn't reply to his jibe, but she did reverse her stance in readiness.

Andreas sat on the bench, watching both opponents size each other up.

"This is going to be good," he thought as Mathias charged Jasmine with a yell, hoping to startle her.

The witch stood her ground until the last possible moment...then acted.

* * *

Mathias experienced with Jasmine, the same thing he experienced with Tonks. He went to swing, but she wasn't there. He stopped and felt a light tap in the back of his head. The wizard spun to face a slightly grinning Jasmine in a defensive stance…she had hit him in the back of the head with a pulled punch!

Andreas laughed out loud.

"You should have knocked his block off!" the wizard called out.

Andreas knew Jasmine was trying to take advantage of Mathias' temper. He kept it under control most of the time, but it was very likely that she could make him blow his top…and get sloppy.

"She's fast," Andreas informed Mathias.

"Not fast enough," he growled and attacked her with a flurry of punches and kicks. Jasmine danced back, slipping his kicks and blocking his blows, just as Andreas had shown her to do. She was keeping away from him, and not allowing him to make contact.

"Stay still!" Mathias seethed, still advancing, turning as Jasmine dipped to the side. Suddenly the witch kicked out, catching him in the midsection. It was a good, strong kick but Mathias' abdominal muscles were strong and absorbed it. Still, the contact brought him to a stop.

"You kicked me," he said in amazement.

"Thanks for telling me that," Jasmine said.

She suddenly launched into her own attack of kicks and blows, driving Mathias back. He was caught off guard. He blocked her blows, which were solid enough to make his forearms hurt. Then he saw an opportunity and swept her legs out from under her.

Instead of landing on her back, Jasmine used the fall to help her roll over and neatly rise to her feet. She stood facing Mathias in a defensive stance of readiness. Mathias arched an eyebrow at her.

"Not bad, witch," he said, beginning to circle her.

Jasmine spun with him, her eyes locked to his. Mathias was smirking. She really had learned something, and he was glad. It still wasn't going to stop him from taking the witch to the mat. She had been insufferable to him the past month…pointedly ignoring him, refusing to talk with him. He even offered to study with her, but she turned up her nose at him and said, "No thanks," and walked up the stairs to her room, leaving him staring after her stupidly, books in hand.

If Mathias had been his father, and Jasmine had been Hermione, a little sexual punishment would have been in order for sure for this blatant disregard. But all Mathias had was this…so this would be his vehicle of revenge.

He began to feint, Jasmine warily watching his body language. Suddenly he charged and grabbed her around the middle. The two opponents went down, wrestling. Andreas started. Damn, he'd gotten her down.

Jasmine and Mathias wrestled wildly, Jasmine trying to throw blows as Mathias tried to tangle her legs in his own. She was a lot stronger than he thought, and the wizard was actually perspiring as he sought to pin her down. Finally he rolled on top of her and pinned her upper arms down to the mat. He smirked at her as she struggled, then suddenly became aware of how she felt under him. Hm. This was quite interesting.

Jasmine was desperate. She didn't want to say give. But she didn't know Mathias had already decided she was worthy to continue training. She had managed to kick him as well as block and avoid him after only a month's worth of training with Andreas. She looked up at him and saw his eyes change a bit as he lay on top of her looking down. Then, she thought of how Andreas told her, that when in a fight use what was available.

Jasmine was able to reach her headgear and Mathias watched as she pulled it off, her blonde hair falling back to the mat. Her eyes softened. Mathias started to scowl.

"I've got you, witch. Ready to concede?" he asked her silkily.

In response, Jasmine lifted her chin slightly…and kissed him.

Mathias froze as Jasmine's soft lips pressed against his own for a moment, then the witch relaxed, her blue eyes gentle. The young wizard looked down at Jasmine. He had never felt anything so…nice. Scowling slightly, Mathias gazed at her mouth and began to lower his head to kiss her back.

Andreas was watching the scene with his mouth open.

"Merlin," he breathed as Mathias' head continued to lower, his lips pursing.

Suddenly, Jasmine jerked her head forward and bashed Mathias in the forehead with a horrendous head butt that made everything go black for a moment. When the wizard's head cleared, he was on his back and Jasmine sitting on top of him triumphantly. She had his arms pinned down with her knees.

Mathias could have used his legs to grip the witch and pull her off of him, but his head hurt too much. Damn, she had a hard skull.

Jasmine wiped her mouth slowly, giving him a wicked little smile.

"Are YOU ready to concede, Mathias Snape?" she asked him.

Mathias frowned up at her, his head throbbing.

"For the moment," he said, blinking at her.

Jasmine let out a whoop of joy and jumped off him, running to Andreas and leaping into his arms as the wizard spun her around. Mathias rose up on his elbows, then rubbed his forehead. There was a huge knot there.

Andreas put the ecstatic Jasmine down and walked over to Mathias, shaking his head ruefully.

"Twas beauty killed the beast," he quipped, offering his hand to his fallen brother.

Mathias gripped it and Andreas hauled him to his feet. Both of them turned to watch Jasmine, who was doing a wild little dance of victory. She had made Mathias Snape concede. Did life get any better than this?

"She cheated you know," Mathias said as a small fabric-wrapped bag of never-melting ice appeared on the mat next to him. He picked it up and placed it against the bump on his forehead.

Andreas laughed.

"She's a Slytherin, Mathias. She didn't cheat, she saw an opportunity to win and took it. Besides, she was just doing what I told her to do…use whatever she could as a weapon to help her fight. I guess her lips fall into that category," he said smiling at his brother.

Jasmine stopped dancing and beamed at both of the wizards, her chest rising and falling from exertion.

"Whatever," Mathias grumped, his nostrils flared as he looked at Jasmine.

Witches. Gah.

* * *

As Hermione entered the Spells Department, she felt eyes on her. Shaking off the feeling she went to unward her office, and found that the wards had been changed. Perplexed, she rattled the door handle.

"Hermione, a word if you please."

Hermione turned as saw a very uncomfortable looking Ichabod standing just outside his office. She got a very cold feeling inside.

"Coming Ichabod," she said, taking one more look at her office, then walking to the Department Head. The eyes of her fellow employees followed her. Some of them were shaking their heads.

"Please go into my office, Hermione," Ichabod said gently.

Hermione entered and he followed, closing the door and lowering the blinds. He looked at his assistant Department Head. It was bad enough they'd given him her job. Now this. Gods, he hated politics.

Ichabod walked behind his desk, pulled out his swivel chair and sat down. He looked at Hermione who was watching him with a kind of haunted look in her eyes. He ran his hand through his short blond hair and met her gaze.

"There's only one way to say this, Hermione. You've been replaced," Ichabod said.

There. He'd done what he'd been dreading doing for the past week.

"Replaced? Why? By whom?" Hermione asked.

"Beauregard Honeycutt. He formerly was…." Ichabod began.

"Formerly was the Head Spells Director at Gluglute's University. I'd heard he resigned his position recently," Hermione said.

Her belly felt so tight she thought she'd vomit.

"Yes, the Council's been trying to woo him away from Gluglute's University for the longest," the Department Head said uncomfortably.

"To fill my position," Hermione continued, "But why? I've done quite well here."

"Well, they felt someone with the number of years in Spellmaking as Professor Honeycutt would be better suited…" Ichabod said half-heartedly.

"You mean," Hermione seethed, "That someone with a pureblood pedigree like Professor Honeycutt would cool the DKV down."

Ichabod looked at Hermione.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I really am. Believe me, I had nothing to do with this. I still think you should be Department Head and not me," the wizard said sincerely. "But I do have openings in the Department itself if you'd like to stay on. I really wish you would."

Hermione looked at him as if he had just been covered in dragon shit.

"I certainly will not stay on, Ichabod. For what? Until they knock me down to Spells Janitor? Thanks, but no thanks. I'll find work elsewhere," she said standing up.

"I could still pay you your same salary, Hermione," Ichabod said, "I still have control of the budget."

Hermione looked at him, her eyes glittering.

"For how long, Ichabod. The moment they find out about my salary remaining the same, they'll cut that too. They are trying to remove Muggle-borns from all decent paying jobs and give them to purebloods. There's no way they would let me continue to make the kind of money I'm making now," she said angrily.

Ichabod looked at her, knowing she was speaking the truth.

"I'm really very sorry, Hermione. I wish there was something I can do," he said.

"There is something you can do. Speak out against the DKV," she retorted.

"I can't…my job. I have small children. The organization is far-reaching," the wizard said.

"More far-reaching than you have any idea of, Ichabod," Hermione said darkly, opening the door.

"I'll just go clear out my things," she said, exiting Ichabod's office.

Ichabod sat there, letting his head drop into his hands. Well, at least she'd taken the news better than he thought she would.

Suddenly there was a loud blast, followed by screaming, then another loud blast. Ichabod tore out of his office and looked in horror as Hermione calmly stood in front of her office, blasting everything in it to bits. Flames and smoke were everywhere and employees running past him. He grabbed one.

"Get the Aurors," he said, letting the wild-eyed wizard go.

"Yes sir," he panted.

Hermione continued blasting the office until the Aurors arrived, led by Justice Forall. He stopped and looked at the witch. He could see the tears streaming down her face as she continued destroying Ministry property. He shook his head.

"Oh Hermione," he breathed, walking forward.

The Aurors took Hermione Granger away without a bit of struggle. They initially charged her with Destruction of Ministry Property and Endangerment, then put her in a holding cell to await arraignment. The witch sat there quietly as if stunned. She didn't react or say anything.

"Does anyone know who to contact?" an Auror asked, looking over her paperwork.

Justice nodded.

"I do. Contact Professor Snape. Professor Severus Snape. He works at Hogwarts," the Auror said, looking through the small mesh window at the witch sitting on the cot.

Damn, Hermione was in a world of trouble.

* * *

Severus was teaching class when Albus entered his classroom.

"Headmaster?" Severus said as he looked at the sober look on the wizard's face.

"Professor, I need to have a word with you," he said, looking over his half-moon glasses.

Severus looked at his class.

"Keep reading. And if I hear one untoward sound, all of you will serve detention gutting live Willynigs," he threatened.

The entire class blanched as the Potions Master exited behind Albus.

Severus looked at the wizard as they stood in the dungeon corridor.

"What is it, sir?" Severus asked him. He didn't like the way the Headmaster looked. "It isn't Mathias is it?"

Albus shook his head.

"No, Mathias is fine, Severus. It's Hermione. She's been arrested," he said, shaking his head.

Severus' eyes widened.

"Arrested? What could Hermione possibly be arrested for?" Severus asked. Hermione was very careful about her law-breaking practices.

"Apparently, for trying to destroy the Ministry," Albus replied. "Or at least part of it. She blasted her Spells office to bits. Nothing left but a sooty, gaping hole," Albus continued.

Severus stared at the wizard in disbelief. Why would Hermione do something like that?

"Apparently, she'd been told she was being replaced," Albus said, answering his unspoken question.

Severus rubbed his forehead. Yes, that would be enough to set her off, especially after being passed over for the Department Head position.

"Have they set her bail yet?" Severus asked.

Albus looked pained.

"As far as I know, there is no bail Severus. Draco apparently wants to make her a posterwitch for proving the dangerous and unbalanced nature of Muggle-borns in positions of power. He convinced the magistrate not to grant bail despite Hermione's exemplary record."

Severus felt his heart drop. Albus placed a comforting hand on the wizard's shoulder.

"There's nothing you can do right now, Severus except go visit her after class and make sure she is comfortable and has good legal counsel. You can't count on anyone the Ministry provides. They all stink of the DKV," the wizard said angrily. "You need someone who doesn't kowtow to their line."

Severus nodded.

"Thank you, Headmaster. I will go to the Ministry right after my last class," he said, re-entering the class and closing the door behind him.

Albus looked after him sadly. Hermione in jail and targeted to be made an example of. What a horrible thing to happen. And how would her son take the news?

The Headmaster made his way back to his office slowly. He felt a million years old. He hoped Hermione wouldn't go to Azkaban. Both Severus and Mathias would be very badly affected. There was no telling what the wizards would do.

* * *

Hermione sat on the cot in the holding cell. An uneaten ham sandwich and glass of pumpkin juice sat on a tray on the floor. She hadn't touched it or spoken a word since her arrest. Justice had looked in on her from time to time. She had been here almost four hours and hadn't moved except to blink.

"You have to be a family member," a voice cried out.

"Blast that. I want to see the witch now," a silky, angry voice declared. Justice recognized the voice immediately and walked into the hall.

Severus Snape was scowling down at the clerk, Aurors surrounding him, their wands drawn but held to their sides. They were familiar with the Professor.

"I am involved with the witch," Severus declared, his black eyes shifting, sizing up the Aurors. It looked as if he might try to overcome the bunch of them. He might be able to.

Justice walked up to the group.

"Let him in. I'll take responsibility for him," the Auror said.

Severus looked at him coolly.

"Mr. Forall," he said, nodding at him.

"Professor," Justice replied, nodding back at him. "This way."

Justice led the Professor through a door and into the area where the holding cells were. He pulled out a key and opened the door to let Severus in.

"She hasn't said a word or moved since we arrested her," Justice said to the wizard, "She didn't put up a fight. Just let me take her wand and her arm and came along. She hasn't done anything since. I think she may have snapped."

"Thank you, Mr. Forall," Severus said, entering the room. Justice locked it behind him.

The Potions Master looked at Hermione, who was looking down at her hands.

"Hermione?" he said softly.

"They sacked me, Severus. After all the years of work I've given them. First they gave my position of Department Head to someone else, then they replaced me. It's just not fair," she said in a low voice.

Severus stepped over the tray and sat down on the bed beside her.

"What happened, Hermione? Why did you do what you did?" he asked her.

The witch looked at him for a moment, pain in her eyes. Severus' brow furrowed as she looked at her hands again.

"Well, I was going to my office to clean it out, and looked at it and saw how easy it would be to move him in…my replacement. How simple a thing it would be. The desk would be there, and the chair and the file cabinets, and all the records I've meticulously stored over the years, all at his fingertips. It was so easy to replace me…too easy. So I decided it wouldn't be so easy," she said, her voice trembling. "So I cleared out my office, just as I said I would."

Severus looked at her and sighed. The witch had been taken beyond her limit and snapped.

"You're in a lot of trouble Hermione. Draco is going to try and make an example of you," the Potions Master said.

"Draco is the one who got me replaced…so that's no surprise," she replied.

"You may have to do time in Azkaban," Severus said softly.

Hermione nodded.

"I know," she said softly. "You will watch after Mathias while I'm gone, won't you?"

Severus looked at Hermione. She already sounded defeated.

"Of course I will take care of Mathias, but I don't want you to go to Azkaban, Hermione. I want you to fight this," he said, placing his hand on hers.

"Fight it how? I destroyed my office…in the Ministry. They are going to put me under Azkaban," she said.

"I'm going to get you the best counsel I can," Severus said.

"It won't matter. This is going to be a circus…plastered all over the newspapers and the wizarding wireless network. Everyone will know what I've done," she said.

Severus looked thoughtful.

"But they will also be interested in why you did it," he said to her, an eyebrow arching. "If it becomes a big question or several questions. What made a witch with a record like yours explode and destroy a part of the Ministry? What drove you to it?" he said, a slow smirk forming on his face. "What terrible occurrence would make an exemplary witch blow up this way? Is something going on at the Ministry the public doesn't know about?"

Hermione looked at him. She began to look hopeful.

"The public wants to know," she said, her eyes brightening. "The...Public...Wants...To...Know."

Severus nodded. She had caught on.

"Rita Skeeter," they said together.

* * *

"I'm telling you Bozo, since the DKV took over, it's like the newspapers are all on lockdown…all except the Quibbler. They print what they like. Not like the Prophet…what a suck-up piece of parchment it's become. I'm so tired of interviewing purebloods and covering DKV meetings. I need something I can really sink my teeth into. Something that will make the public sit up and take notice. Something sticky and controversial," Rita Skeeter said as she sat in her small dingy office.

The heavy-jawed witch fiddled with a quill between her long red nails as she spoke, then adjusted her costume-jeweled glasses with her rather large mannish hands. Her blonde hair was done up in elaborate but rigid curls, and she arched one of her penciled in eyebrows in irritation as she complained about the state of things.

Bozo Baggins, her photographer, sat in a small chair against the wall, also fiddling with his camera as he listened to the reporter complain. Rita was primarily a columnist for the Prophet, but did freelance work as a reporter for whatever paper would buy her stories. Life had become dull since the DKV had grown in power. People were afraid to talk, and those who did talk stuck to the DKV lines as if magically glued to them. Rita Skeeter herself was a half-blood. Her mother had been a gossip columnist for a small muggle newspaper, and her father, a pureblood wizard who worked for the Prophet as a printer. The pairing would have been frowned on in this day and age.

For a moment, Rita had considered joining the DKV if only to dig up dirt on them, but would not renounce her parentage, although both her parents were dead. The witch felt there was something intrinsically wrong with publicly denying her mother and father, so she bowed out. Rita had no love of the organization…they curtailed free thought, and without free thought, nothing interesting could go on in the world. It was as if every bit of news was perfectly staged, dull and strategically released…ultimately meant to promote Voldemort and the DKV line of pureblood rights. There hadn't been a word against the DKV in months. Everyone was running scared.

Rita's mother's mother had been a polish Jew and spent time in a concentration camp and her story of suffering passed down to the following generations. Rita never forgot the horrors her grandmother went through saw parallels in what had happened in that time and what was happening in the wizarding world today. A despot was slowly taking over the minds and souls of the populace, and looked as if he would rise to power if no one did anything.

Rita had never been a perfect reporter…in fact, she dealt mostly in sensationalism and trash journalism. But her stories sold papers and she basked in the fame it brought her. But fame was fleeting and you had to stay in the public eye to keep that fire burning, and let's face it…Rita hadn't any fuel to add to her personal flame in quite a while. When she was on her game, she'd do anything for a story. When Dumbledore banned her from Hogwarts and interviewing Harry when Voldemort returned, the witch turned into her illegal animagus beetle form to continue to collect information and sell papers.

Eventually Rita told Harry's side of the story and it was published in the Quibbler and the wizarding world was allowed to reach their own conclusions as to the truth of the boy's story. When it was found out that Voldemort really had returned, Rita got quite a bit of the glory and a name as the only reporter who dared to write the truth. It didn't matter that Hermione had blackmailed her to do it. Gods, the witch wished for another chance like that. To write the truth no one else wanted to say. She'd give Bozo's left nut for that kind of opportunity.

Luckily for Bozo, the removal of one of his balls was not necessary. The door to Rita's office suddenly flew open and a reporter burst in.

"Hey Rita…you're wanted down at the Ministry. Some witch blew up an office down there and says she won't talk to anybody but you. They have her up on charges with no bail. The downlow says that she's being railroaded to Azkaban because she's a muggle-born," he blurted out in one long breath.

Rita sat straight up in her swivel chair.

"What's the witch's name?" she asked as she grabbed her crocodile-skin handbag, quickly checking it to make sure she had her Quick-quotes quill and plenty of parchment.

"Hermione Granger," the wizard replied. Both of Rita's penciled eyebrows disappeared into her coiffed hairline. "You know her?"

Rita nodded, a slight scowl on her face.

"Oh, I know her all right," she replied. "Come on, Bozo. I smell big news."

Rita hurried out of her office, followed by the newspaper wizard and Bozo.

* * *

Severus spent several hours with Hermione discussing strategies, then departed the Ministry well before Rita Skeeter got there. Justice himself sent the message to the reporter by Ministry owl that she was wanted. Severus couldn't afford to be exposed assisting Hermione, particularly since her arrest was going to be used to promote the Dark Lord's ideals. Besides, he had a very special counsel to contact. He would be expensive, but the reclusive wizard was known to work miracles. Severus was willing to pay any amount of galleons to extricate his lover and the mother of his child from this situation. He would have to make arrangements with his own solicitor to hire the services of the wizard and to pay him, so there would be no direct link to him.

And then, he had to break the news to Mathias that his mother was being held at the Ministry. The Potions Master knew the boy would be in a quandary for two reasons…first the because of the fact that his mother was in jail, and secondly, the father of one of his closest friends was targeting her to go to Azkaban.

The Potions Master apparated back to Hogwarts and hurried to Slytherin house. He walked into the common room and was greeted by his charges. He looked around for Mathias, but didn't see him. Severus walked up the stairs and turned down the corridor for the boys' private rooms, walked down a bit and knocked on Mathias' door. There wasn't any answer. He turned and walked down to the other end of the hall, where Andreas' room was and knocked. Andreas answered, looking surprised.

"Hello Professor," he said, looking up at the wizard.

"Hello, Mr. Mbutu. Is Mathias here? I need to talk to him," the Potions Master said.

Andreas nodded and pulled the door open. Mathias was sitting on the bed. A number of parchments and books were spread about. It seemed the boys were in the middle of studying.

"Hi Dad," Mathias said as Severus entered.

"Hello son," Severus replied, his eyes leveled on the boy, his face somber.

Mathias knew something was wrong at once.

"What's wrong?" he asked, straightening.

"Your mother has been arrested and is being held at the Ministry for arraignment," the wizard said to his son.

Mathias jumped up, concern on his pale face.

"Arrested? For what? What did she do?" he asked his father, scowling.

"She blew up her office. She was sacked by the Ministry and didn't take it well," Severus replied evenly

Mathias absorbed this. Mum had blown a torch.

"Well, when can we get her out?" he asked his father.

"We can't. She doesn't have any bail," the Potions Master said, "But I am going to hire her the best lawyer in the wizarding world, Mathias. Don't worry. We'll get her out," he said, hoping to comfort the boy.

"Aw mum," Mathias said, flopping back on to Andreas' bed. Andreas looked at both wizards sympathetically. Then Mathias brightened.

"Maybe Jasmine's father can help her," he suggested to Severus, who shook his head sadly.

"No, Mathias…he won't. He's the one who got her replaced, and he's the one who made sure she had no bail. He wants to use your mother as a negative example of a muggle-born with too much power," Severus said.

Mathias' face went dark and his eyes narrowed.

"Jasmine's father is trying to get Mum sent to Azkaban?" he asked his father.

Severus nodded, then said, "I'm sure Jasmine doesn't know anything about what her father is doing. Not yet, anyway."

Andreas walked forward.

"Don't blame Jasmine for her father, Mathias. She isn't like him. You know that," the wizard said, looking at his brother with a worried expression on his face. "Don't take it out on her, my brother."

Mathias' expression didn't change. His mother was in jail, and Jasmine's father was holding her there.

"I want to talk to her father," Mathias said angrily.

"You can't do that, Mathias," Severus said.

The boy looked at his father, his eyes almost deadly.

"I know Jasmine has a way to reach him. She tells him everything that goes on here at Hogwarts," the boy said, the look on his face terrible. "I'll make her contact him."

Andreas put his hand on Mathias' arm.

"Mathias, you can't do that," he began.

Mathias wrenched his arm away.

"Don't tell me what I can't do, Andreas. Jasmine can contact her father and she's going to do it. This is my mum we're talking about," the wizard said, standing and walking toward the door. Severus blocked him, his black eyes hard.

"Well, I will tell you what to do, Mathias," he said in a dangerous voice, "and that will be to leave Jasmine alone until you calm down. You can't burst into her room making demands. She is your friend. She will help you if you ask her…not order her. Any way, it's late. It would be better to contact Draco tomorrow…if he will talk to you at all."

Mathias met his father's gaze defiantly at first as the Potions Master's words settled in. No, it wouldn't be good to storm into Jasmine's room. She was innocent in all of this. She couldn't help it if her git of a father was trying to make some kind of example out of Hermione. The wizard's shoulder's slumped.

"All right, Dad. I will wait until tomorrow to ask Jasmine if she will let me talk to her father," Mathias said, sitting back down on Andreas' bed.

Andreas breathed a sigh of relief.

"A wise decision, Mathias. Always think before you act, son," the Potions Master said, "We will get your mother out of this mess, believe me. I will do everything in my power to make it so," Severus promised him.

A swirl of magic accompanied his promise. Severus looked up. He hadn't meant to take a Wizard's Oath, but the powerful emotion behind his words invoked one anyway. He didn't mind however…he fully intended to do all he could. She was his lover after all. He couldn't let her languish behind bars.

Mathias nodded.

The two wizards looked awkwardly at each other, father and son both suffering the loss of the living bond between them, Hermione. Mathias suddenly stood up, walked across the room and embraced his father, holding on to him tightly.

Severus, caught by surprise, brought his hands up and patted the boy's back at first…then returned the embrace. It was a manly embrace they shared, drawing on each other for strength and courage. After a moment or two, the Potions Master let him go, and Mathias looked up at him. He was much taller now but still shorter than his father.

"Get her out, Dad," Mathias said in a strangled voice. "I can't stand the idea of her being locked up."

"I will son. I will," the Potions Master replied, his face slightly contorted. He quickly turned and left Andreas' room. It was the first time father and son had ever embraced and it affected the wizard greatly. His son was counting on him as much as his mother was.

He wouldn't fail them.

* * *

The door to the holding cell clicked and swung open. Hermione looked up as an unsmiling Rita Skeeter entered. The door closed behind her.

"I heard you asked for me," Rita said to Hermione coldly.

Hermione knew at once Rita had not forgiven her for the "beetle in the glass jar" incident nor for forcing her to write an article about Harry Potter under duress. This might not be easy.

"Sit down, Rita," Hermione said, moving over on the cot. Rita's eyes swept over the witch, then she sat down, clutching her crocodile purse close to her.

"Yes, I did ask for you, Rita. I want you to be my only contact to the wizarding world," Hermione said persuasively, "You will be the only reporter I'll talk to…exclusive interviews just for your use. You've heard what's happened, I imagine."

Rita looked at her.

"Yeah, I did. Blew up your office. Had a little temper tantrum eh?" Rita asked her, her fingers twitching on her bag.

"Yes I did. But I was driven to it, Rita, believe me. The DKV line is permeating the Ministry, though they won't admit it openly," the witch said.

Rita's ears perked up now. Some dirt on the DKV and the Ministry? This was what she had been hoping for just this morning. Hell, every morning for the past several years. She narrowed her eyes at Hermione.

"That sounds like something the public would be interested in," Rita said, "But why me, Hermione? We haven't been exactly close over the years…though I did spend some time in your company…about two weeks worth of it if I remember correctly. As a beetle? In a glass jar?" Rita reminisced, frowning at Hermione.

"I was young, Rita and you were so nosey. I couldn't help it, I'm sorry," Hermione said, "but if you do this, you will be the most widely read reporter in the wizarding world. It is going to be big…sensationalized. Just the kind of thing you can stick your Quick-quotes quill into. Plus I have other information that's been quashed…information that comes from within Voldemort's ranks itself. Information against Voldemort. Of course the source must remain anonymous."

Rita's eyes glistened. Oh, how juicy would that be? The DKV's tarnished little despot knocked out of the running by her pen. Rita remembered the early stories about the Dark Lord. She'd seen the results of deatheater attacks and the bodies of the murdered. The reporter didn't believe for one minute the Order was behind it. Dumbledore was just too blasted good to operate that way. If that smarmy wizard were cut open, probably all that would come out would be some sticky and extremely sugary lemon-flavored goo. In Rita's opinion, the Order itself was too soft and should be out kicking ass rather than sitting back and making ineffectual plans. Hm. Maybe she could work in some jabs at the Order while she worked on the story…if she worked on it.

"No one would publish anything against the DKV," Rita responded.

Hermione looked at her.

"You know better than that, Rita. The Quibbler would publish everything you gave them. Luna Lovegood is a friend of mine and follows right in her father's footsteps," the witch said evenly. "And it still has a good circulation."

Rita knew this was true. She was just giving the witch an argument so she didn't seem too eager. Rita was well aware that she would have to champion Hermione to make the story really grab the public. Almost everyone gravitated to the sympathetic underdog. But there was something else. Something that had troubled Rita for years about Hermione. Something that the witch held over her head.

Rita looked at Hermione, her eyes narrowed.

"If I do this, Hermione…there's a condition you have to meet first, right here and now," Rita said, adjusted her glasses as she looked at the witch.

"What is it?" Hermione inquired.

Rita pulled out her spare wand and cast a silencing spell over the holding cell. Since she was the Press, the Aurors never checked her bag. The witch turned back to Hermione.

"I want a wizarding oath that you will never reveal to anyone that I am an unregistered animagus," the reporter demanded.

"Done," Hermione agreed. She had almost forgotten that aspect of the nosey columnist. Obviously Rita hadn't. Hermione took the oath.

Rita felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of her. She couldn't do Azkaban, and she wasn't willing to register such a useful talent. Now she felt safe. She opened her purse and took out her parchment and her Quick-quotes quill. The quill immediately positioned itself over the parchment, quivering slightly as if in anticipation.

Rita put on her most predatory smile.

"Now Hermione…let's hear your side of the story," she said, leaning forward…all ears.

* * *

The next day, a large snowy owl flew through the thin air of a mountain range, a large parchment attached to its leg. It was cold, but the bird was well insulated and had been very well fed before being sent on its mission.

The owl belonged to one Simon Dewgooder, Severus' solicitor of many, many years. A stout, balding and quick-witted wizard, Simon handled all of the Potions Master's legal affairs with alacrity as well as directed the wizard to the best people for the job when he had other matters to take care of. Unfortunately, Simon wasn't a trial lawyer.

Severus arrived early and explained Hermione's situation and his willingness to provide payment for her legal counsel, but told Simon because of 'other affiliations' he could not do so publicly and needed him to contact the wizard he had in mind and persuade him to take up the witch's cause at whatever fee he wished for his services. When Severus told him who he had in mind, Simon stared at him in amazement.

"He hasn't handled a case in years, Severus," Simon said to the wizard.

"I think he may handle this one, Simon. It is the kind of case he gravitates to. You know he enjoys the limelight. He won't be able to resist returning to the public eye in such a grand and controversial manner," the Potions Master said, smirking a bit.

Simon considered this.

"You might be right," the solicitor said. "I will send him an owl with the necessary information and request for services. But he will be pricey, Severus."

"That doesn't matter. The witch is worth it to me, Simon. I've been sitting on galleons for years. Thanks to your advice as to whom I have investing it, I have far too much money anyway. I don't use it. Besides…"

Here Severus paused for just a moment.

"...she's the mother of my son. My son needs her," he said softly.

Simon nodded. But he couldn't help thinking that the Potions Master had gone decidedly soft in the past few years. First he wills everything to the witch and his son, now he is willing to empty his accounts for the woman. Simon suspected the wizard was in love with his child's mother. Considering his situation, that wasn't good. Simon was very well aware of Severus' dual role with the Dark Lord. He held all of the wizard's secrets, bound by an Oath of Service never to reveal them while he lived. He knew to love a muggle-born was a dangerous act by a deatheater. The wizard could die because of his feelings for the witch. But Severus had survived this long with his duplicities. Perhaps he could make it through.

Severus departed and Simon went to work on his presentation.

* * *

The owl turned left and wheeled to a high ledge on a mountainside. A house was built there. The owl landed on the open patio and was immediately bathed in warmth. It hooted appreciatively before hopping toward the closed glass doors that led into the house. It passed a few leafy tropical plants, a lounge chair and a huge Jacuzzi. It stopped at the glass door and peered at it before beating against it with its wings, scratching at it with its talons and raising a racket.

"All right, all right, I'm coming," said a smooth male voice.

The glass door flew open and the owl looked up and stuck out its leg.

"Come in," the wizard said invitingly.

The owl hooted thanks and flew inside, landing on the back of a thick, leather armchair. It did its best not to dig in too deeply as it balanced itself.

"What do we have here? A parchment from a solicitor. Gods, they just keep trying, don't they owl?" the wizard said as he removed the parchment.

"Go along into the kitchen…fly straight ahead and turn right. Gertrude will fix you up with something to eat and drink while I answer this. She knows the drill."

The owl hooted gratefully and silently flew off in the manner of its kind.

A little shriek came from the kitchen. The wizard smiled and shook his head.

"You think she'd be used to that by now," he muttered, carrying the large envelope over to his desk and sitting down, opening it.

"First he pulled out a picture of Hermione. He studied it.

"Not bad. Hermione Granger, former Assistant Spells Department head for the MOM for the past eight years. Hm. A muggle-born. Single mother. Gained her position by in-house promotions. She must have been exemplary. All right," he said to himself, nodding.

Then he pulled out another picture, this one of Draco Malfoy. He didn't even have to read the information scrawled on the bottom of it.

"Voldemort's front man for the DKV. Oh yes, I know you Lord Malfoy. You keep your lips in a perpetual pucker for the Dark Lord's ass," the wizard muttered. "Trying to advance the organizations bigoted ideals using this young woman eh? You prick."

Then he pulled out a history of Hermione's work record from the Ministry. Not a single write-up or incident report. There were a number of evaluations, all quite favorable. Still, she was passed over for the position of Spells Department Head. No reason was given. Simon must have called in a favor or two and gotten hold of Hermione's record before it conveniently disappeared. It was the original and had the Ministry seal and hidden watermark. They must have left a duplicate in its place. Good.

The wizard nodded and looked back at Hermione's picture.

"Now, what kind of trouble did you get into, little lady?" he asked as he pulled out another sheet of paper. His gray eyes shifted left to right and his rather bushy eyebrows rose. He chuckled.

"Well…good for you. Good for you, witch," he mused. "I imagine those bastards in the DKV want to make an example of you, eh? An unstable muggle-born in a position of power. Those wankers could slither under a flubberworm's belly they go so low."

The wizard frowned slightly as he continued to read.

"So, you're to be arraigned tomorrow eh? Let's see what the payment terms are…I don't come cheap…but hell…this promises to be so controversial I might do it pro bono. What a comeback this will be."

He glanced over the conditions of retaining his services. Hm. Payment through a solicitor. That meant that the person paying for his services wished to remain anonymous. Ah, intrigue. He'd missed that. Nothing like a good mystery to make a sweet case sweeter. There was also a very generous incentive drafted up. He smiled when he read the amount. Quite generous. But then again, he was the best.

The wizard picked up Hermione's photograph and looked into her smiling face. She had lovely eyes. He leaned back in his expensive padded swivel chair and twirled the end of his mustache.

"Well, Miss Hermione Granger. It looks like you've got yourself a lawyer," he said to the picture.

He wandlessly retrieved his glass of pumpkin juice from an end table, took a sip and set it down. Then he leaned forward and began to draft his reply to Simon in the affirmative.

Severus would be quite pleased.

* * *

The next morning, Jasmine waited for Mathias and Andreas to go work out in the ROR. It was weight training day, and she was dressed in her boxers, t-shirt, sports bra, socks and trainers as usual. She was doing a few stretches when Andreas came down the stairs alone.

"Hey Andreas. Where's Mathias?" Jasmine asked him.

Andreas looked at her.

"He's coming Jasmine. He wants to talk to you before you go to work out. I'm going to go ahead,' the wizard said rather evasively.

"Talk to me about what?" Jasmine asked as the young wizard headed for the common room exit.

"You'll see," Andreas said. Obviously, Jasmine didn't know about Hermione's arrest yet. Her father was unavailable last night when she checked in with him after supper.

Jasmine watched the wizard leave. This was strange. Andreas never left when Mathias had anything to say to her. She felt a bit apprehensive. She continued stretching and presently Mathias came down the stairs, looking very intense. Jasmine stopped stretching and looked at the wizard.

He was in black sweats and a white wife beater. Mathias was quite lean and muscular now, his hair pulled back in a ponytail. He had the most amazing eyes. He leveled them at her.

"Jasmine," he said, "My mother's been arrested."

Jasmine gasped, her hand rising to her mouth in shock.

"Arrested? Why?" Jasmine asked.

"She lost it at the Ministry and blasted her office to bits when they told her she was being replaced. They already passed her over for the position of Spells Department Head a couple of years ago, and now they were replacing her as Assistant Department Head. They put purebloods in both positions. Your father was behind it all," the wizard said evenly, shifting to aura view to see how the witch felt about this.

Jasmine's aura immediately shifted to show sympathy, guilt and anger.

"I'm so sorry, Mathias. I didn't know," she said sincerely.

The witch walked up to him and embraced him. Gods, she felt good, soft and smelled faintly of roses. But Mathias steeled himself. Now was not the time to appreciate Jasmine's feminine charms. He gently unwrapped her arms from around his neck and moved her back from him…still aware of how she felt against him. His black eyes met her blue ones.

"Jasmine, your father made it so my mother can't get bail. He's going to make her an example to prove muggle-borns can't handle being in positions of power, and he's going to try to send her to Azkaban. I need to talk to him. I need you to give me access to him," Mathias said. "You will do it, won't you?"

Jasmine looked at Mathias. Her father would probably refuse to talk to him. She knew Draco. He would tell the boy to come to court on behalf of his mother if he was so concerned.

"Mathias, I could connect you to father, but you wouldn't get anywhere with him. When he gets an idea in his head, nothing seems to be able to stop it, no matter how wrong it is," she said gently, thinking of her own situation as a soon-to-be consort to Voldemort.

Mathias frowned.

"So you won't help me, Jasmine?" he asked her.

She looked at him.

"I'll help you Mathias. I'll talk to him and try to get him to let up on your mother based on our friendship. You can be in the room and listen to what he has to say. That way at least you'll know his motivations. Maybe you can use them to help your mother. He'll be furious at me when he finds out, but…I don't care. It's your mum after all. He won't tell you what he'll tell me," she said. "You will learn more this way than if you talk to him yourself."

Jasmine looked a bit upset.

"What's wrong?" Mathias asked her softly. Jasmine drew a deep breath.

"Mathias…you might hear some things you aren't going to like hearing. My father put me on you from my first year. I was supposed to influence you over the years…get you to willingly join the DKV and the Dark Lord. Have an effect on you as we grew up…"

Mathias stared at her.

"At first, I did it but you were so strong-minded I found you didn't listen to me. Then I changed my tactics and argued with you less so we could get closer. But then I started seeing things differently and I stopped trying to manipulate you and just be your friend for real. My father still thinks I'm working on you. So he may say some very hurtful things. I just want you to be prepared," she said softly.

Mathias looked at her.

"How far were you supposed to go to convince me, Jasmine?" he asked her silkily.

The witch turned red and her eyes dropped to the floor.

"Malfoy women are bred to use sex as a weapon, Mathias, or a method of manipulation to get wizards to do what they want done. Up to a few months ago, I was supposed to go as far as necessary to turn you…" she admitted.

Mathias' dark eyes swept over her. He swallowed.

"You mean you would have…" he began, a bit hoarsely.

"If I had to…yes," the witch said. "But it's not like that now, Mathias. You're my friend. I wouldn't try to manipulate you that way. It's so different now. I'm different. I don't want to be used that way…to advance my father's aims."

Mathias considered her.

"So what changed a few months ago?" he asked her.

"I can't bring myself to tell you Mathias. You wouldn't like it. And there's nothing I can do about it…and…and I don't want you to think any less of me because I have to do it. I'm not a bad witch, Mathias…I'm really not," Jasmine said, her voice starting to crack and her eyes filling with tears. "It's just that there's a price for living as we Malfoys do. And everybody has to do their share of paying for the sake of the family."

Mathias was a lot like his father in that he hated to see witches he had some modicum of care about cry. It made him feel helpless.

"Don't cry, Jasmine," he said softly, walking up to her, his black eyes resting on her sympathetically. "Tell me what it is."

Jasmine shook her head.

"It's too terrible, Mathias…but considered an honor. My father wants that honor given our family. It's why he sent me to the island to teach me to be more obedient. It's like I have to take one for the team. Maybe more than one," she said, meeting his eyes.

Gods, they were so dark and deep. Now they looked a bit angry.

"We are friends, Jasmine. You can tell friends anything," Mathias said rather coldly. "It's as if you don't trust me. I won't tell anyone."

"It's not that you'll tell anyone, Mathias. I'm afraid the way you look at me will change," she said, a slight quiver in her voice. "I'm afraid you will think…gods, I don't know what you'll think of me…and I don't want to know. I want things to stay the same. If I tell you, Mathias, no matter what you say, I know it won't be the same. Please don't ask me to tell you."

Jasmine burst into tears now and Mathias stared at her helplessly. All he knew was he wanted her to stop crying. If not pressing her to tell him her secret would stop her, then that's what he'd do.

"Jasmine…Jasmine, it's all right. I don't have to know. Not now. I don't know what you're hiding that you think will make me change toward you…but I don't think anything would make me change. I will always be your friend, witch. I will be here when you need me, just like you and Andreas are here for me. So stop crying, please Jasmine. I can't take witches crying."

Jasmine sniffed, her blue eyes now rimmed with red. She used the hem of her t-shirt to wipe at her eyes, showing her muscular belly. Mathias' eyes flicked down at it for a moment, and felt another uncomfortable pulse similar to the one he felt when she was swimming with him at the lake weeks ago. Quickly he gathered himself. He looked at her.

"Plus, your face is getting all red and blubbery…and it really is quite unattractive. I haven't had breakfast yet and it's not the kind of thing I really want to see on an empty stomach," he said evenly, scowling at her.

Jasmine let out a gasp and took a swing at him. He slipped it easily.

"That's better," Mathias smirked at her. "I much prefer a violent Jasmine than a sappy one."

Redirection was always a good way to handle emotional situations. He'd learned that from his father.

"Come on, Sniffles. Let's go work out."

He strode toward the common room corridor and stopped, looking at Jasmine imperiously. The witch couldn't help but see the resemblance between Mathias and his father. He had such an aura of command and dominance as he stood there, waiting for her to obey him, his dark eyes watching her expectantly. She dabbed at her eyes again, then strode past him, heading for the exit.

Mathias followed her, catching up quickly with his longer stride.

"Whatever is going on with you, Jasmine…it's going to be all right," he said. "You'll work it out."

Jasmine didn't reply. Together they exited Slytherin house and headed for the ROR.

* * *

When the owl post arrived at breakfast, that's when the dung hit the fan. Many of the students received the Daily Prophet, and Hermione's arrest was front-page news. A wild-haired picture of the witch taken when she was a student at Hogwarts was on the first page and the headline read:

_**MUGGLE-BORN EMPLOYEE GOES BERSERK AT MINISTRY OF MAGIC.**_

A short blurb followed.

_**Former Assistant Spells Department Head Hermione Granger recklessly destroyed Ministry property and endangered fellow employees in a fit of rage yesterday. Details are still sketchy, but it is believed the witch committed this act purposely and with malice due to the fact she is being replaced by a more suitable Assistant Department Head based on a Ministry Council recommendation after eight undistinguished years of service. Miss Granger is currently being held without bond at the Ministry. She will be arraigned this morning and charges levied against her. If Miss Granger is found guilty, she will most likely be remanded to Azkaban Prison for an undetermined amount of time.**_

Jasmine was sitting with the DKV, and read the article, then looked over at Mathias, who was eating his breakfast. Andreas sat next to him. The whole of Slytherin house was looking at him, as well as students from the other houses as word got around.

James Potter was looking at him too…but sympathetically. He had stopped harassing Mathias, but still thought he was a git. He was a Slytherin after all…and all Slytherins were gits. Still, his mum was nice, and James was truly sorry she was under arrest. When his fellow Gryffindors started to gloat, the wizard turned on them.

"Shut up! How would you feel if your mum got arrested?" he yelled at them, scowling blackly. "It's not something to make fun of."

Mathias heard him, but said nothing.

James' housemates lowered their voices, but still talked about Mathias' mum being a jailbird among themselves, as did the rest of the school.

Severus, seated at the staff table, looked at his son, his dark eyes somber. He was being focused on again, and students were cruel. Hopefully he would be able to keep his temper. Mathias could do some real damage if he lost it. Thank the gods he had Andreas, who was a calming influence on him…though Severus had no doubt the black wizard would kick ass right alongside his son if the situation arose.

The Potions Master looked over at the Young DKV, who were openly smiling and gloating at the fact that Mathias' mudblood mother was being taken to task. It was just the thing they believed in. Well, all but one was smiling. Jasmine Malfoy. She looked quite angry as she sat there silently as her fellow club members chattered around her. Finally the witch pushed back from the table and stormed out of the Great Hall, her hands clenched into tight fists. The Potions Master was sure that Jasmine Malfoy would also crack some heads for his son if the situation arose. He was aware she was also training with his son and Andreas. Personally, he thought Jasmine might play a bigger role when things came to a head. All he could do now was wait.

Severus was given a leave for the day to attend Hermione's arraignment. Of course, he would be seated with the public, Justice Forall promising to save him a seat. No doubt, there would be standing room only in the Council Chamber. Hermione's case would be heard within the Ministry rather than an open court of law, since she was a Ministry employee. This stacked the odds greatly on the Ministry's side. The Potions Master was worried. He hadn't heard from Simon yet.

Suddenly an owl dropped on the table before him, hooting apologetically at its lateness and sticking out its leg. Severus recognized it immediately. It was Simon's owl. Quickly he removed the parchment and fed the owl a bit of ham. It swallowed the meat down gratefully and flew off. Severus opened the parchment, his eyes scanning the message. He smiled broadly, shocking a few students who happened to be looking up at the high table. Dumbledore was watching him too, and noticing the smile, got up and walked over to him as the Potions Master folded the parchment and stuck it in his pocket.

"A smile, Severus? A rarity indeed. I take it you've received good news?" the Headmaster inquired, taking the seat next to him.

Severus nodded.

"Yes. I've secured counsel for Hermione," he replied, his black eyes actually twinkling.

"Really? And whom did you secure? Draco himself will most likely be prosecuting her for the Ministry."

Severus told him. Dumbledore's eyes went wide with shock.

"I thought he was retired," the wizard said with amazement, "However did you manage it, Severus?"

The Potions Master looked at him.

"He never could resist a truly controversial case or an opportunity to "sock it to the establishment. It's what the wizard lives for."

"This will come as quite a surprise to the Ministry," Albus chuckled.

"And to Hermione. She doesn't know yet," the Potions Master replied. "If anyone can get her off, he will."

"Not only will he get her off, Severus, he may inadvertently start the ball rolling that will put a crack in the iron hold the DKV has on the wizarding world. If that happens, we will have a chance…" Albus said, "A chance to shake its foundations with doubt and maybe reveal Voldemort for the despot he is."

"We also have Rita Skeeter on board," Severus told the wizard.

"Great Merlin! Between her and the lawyer, they will turn Hermione's arrest into a media circus! Everyone will be on pins and needles," Albus breathed.

"That's exactly what we're hoping for sir," Severus replied, his eyes somber. "That every person in the wizarding world will be hanging on to this story. The DKV will not be able to curtail the press with its threats since this is a legal battle already."

"Well my boy, I have every possible part of my body crossed that this will all work out in our favor," Albus said, rising, "And most of all I hope Hermione comes out of this all right."

"Yes sir," Severus said. Albus departed.

Severus quickly finished his meal and also left the Great Hall.

He had to get to the Ministry.

* * *

The Ministry was surrounded by the curious, all clamoring to get in to see Hermione Granger's arraignment. Some people held up signs.

**"Send Hermione Granger to Azkaban"**

**"Muggle-borns Unfit to Serve"**

**"Voldemort for Minister of Magic!"**

Severus passed through the crowd of clamoring witches and wizards. Justice was on the door and let him in. Harry and Ron had conveniently been reassigned to recon duty in an unspecified area located far from the Ministry almost the moment Hermione was arrested, courtesy of Draco. He didn't want them about helping the witch in any manner. Justice looked around the crowd.

"Hermione's attracted a lot of attention," he said to the Potions Master.

"Not as much as she will," Severus replied confidently, heading for the Council chambers. He gave his name to the Aurors guarding the doors and they let him pass. There was one seat left in the packed hearing room located on the back wall. He took it and waited expectantly.

Hermione was led in. She was in an orange jumpsuit that read: "Property of MOM." Her hands and feet were shackled with chains and rattled as she shuffled between the Aurors that accompanied her. Severus scowled blackly. They didn't have to do that to the witch. He had seen plenty of accused enter these chambers in their street clothes. The Council was doing their best to make her look like a criminal.

The Aurors led Hermione to a long table situated in front of the Council seats and to the left. There was an aisle and another similar table on the other side. Draco Malfoy stood there, shuffling papers. He gave Hermione a rather ugly smirk and sat down.

An Auror walked through a door behind the Council seats and to the front of the room.

"All rise!" he announced.

Everyone stood as the Council members filed in and took their seats. Minister Figglesworth shuffled a few papers as the attending wizards and witches took their seats again. Rita Skeeter was there, Quick-quotes quill in hand, ready to take notes. She looked at Hermione's dress and the quill raced across the parchment page.

Minister Figglesworth looked at Hermione with his eyes narrowed, then at Draco with a rather pleased look. Severus snorted. There should be tracks running through this room, the railroading was so evident.

Figglesworth cleared his throat.

"We are here to arraign Miss Hermione Granger, a former employee of the Ministry of Magic, concerning her willful destruction of Ministry Property and intentional Endangerment of her fellow employees and employees of the Ministry at Large. Lord Malfoy?"

Draco stood up.

"Gentlemen of the Council…it is my recommendation that Miss Hermione Granger be remanded to Azkaban for her actions. After being informed of changes in the Spells Department recommended and put in force by this esteemed Council, Miss Granger, in a fit of rage destroyed her office, Ministry property, and valuable files as well as put the lives of her fellow employees at risk. Miss Granger has shown by her actions she is prone to violence and is a danger to the public at large. The fact that she was a Ministry employee adds even more insult to this grave injury. No leniency is recommended for her actions.

"It is also evident that Miss Granger is and always has been unsuitable to hold the position of Assistant Spells Director by her reaction to being replaced. She was offered another position and declined, preferring to wreak havoc instead of accepting another perfectly acceptable employee post. She had other options and it is my opinion that her background as a muggle-born who is not naturally acclimated to the wizarding world played a large part in her total disregard to our decision, rules and regulations. Muggles are inherently violent and unreasonable as their history shows and they should not be given any authority in our world. We can do our best to teach them our ways, but let's face it. You can't take the 'muggle' out of muggle-born. Miss Granger must be made to pay for her actions as an example to others."

Small shouts of agreement arose from the audience as Draco sat down. The Auror standing next to the Council seat frowned and everyone went silent.

"Well said, Lord Malfoy," Figglesworth said, nodding at the blonde-haired wizard, who sat smugly looking over at Hermione. She didn't look back at him. The Minister now looked at Hermione. The Aurors helped her to stand. Her shackles rattled loudly as she did so.

"Miss Granger, you have heard the Council's charges and recommendations against you. I see you are without counsel. We can give you counsel if you wish to challenge your charges. However, if you challenge the charges, any leniency the Council might have been willing to extend to you will be withdrawn and you will be treated with the harshest sentence if you are found guilty…so think on this well, Miss Granger. I will give you a minute or two to make your decision. It may well mean the difference between months or years spent in Azkaban," the wizard said.

Hermione looked at the Minister. She knew if she didn't challenge her charges, that was no guarantee that she would only receive a couple of months in Azkaban. Draco would be sure to try and get her hard time, regardless.

"I don't need time to think, Minister. I will most certainly fight these charges. I was driven to do what I did by unfair practices by the Ministry, which is secretly working the DKV line into their regulations with the intention of illegally displacing muggle-borns from all authorative positions by internal means. It is discrimination of the highest sort," Hermione replied.

The audience burst into cries of negation and the Auror was forced to step forward threateningly to quiet them.

"Good witch," Severus thought with approval. Hermione was not afraid to say what she thought.

Minister Figglesworth frowned at the witch.

"This council takes great offense at you claiming the Ministry itself is being influenced by outside organizations. We represent the will of the people fairly," he snarled at her.

Hermione snorted.

"That's why three duly elected muggle-born council members have been removed from the board in the past two years?" the witch asked.

Figglesworth blustered.

"Those removals had to do with re-districting, not discrimination," he said, frowning. "Besides, it is not you who ask the questions, Miss Granger…but this council. You are out of line. Now Miss Granger, for the last time…are you willing to accept the kindness of this council and agree to being sentenced without the messiness of a trial?"

Hermione was about to reply when suddenly the double doors of the Council chambers burst open and a gray-haired wizard with a briefcase, handlebar mustache and dressed in bright red robes strode down the center aisle as if he owned the chambers. His thick, wavy hair was parted in the middle and his sharp gray eyes flashed as he walked to Hermione's table and sidled in. He looked up at the startled council.

"My client certainly does NOT agree to such a preposterous preposition, particularly since she is not the perpetrator of a crime, but the victim!" the wizard stated, slamming his hand down on the desk to punctuate his declaration on Hermione's behalf.

There was a sudden rush as about ten reporters ran from the Council chambers with the news of Hermione's counsel appearing and who he was. This arraignment had just become HUGE news.

"This council should be ashamed of itself for trying to railroad this witch! I am here, gentlemen to pull up those tracks! Miss Hermione Granger will definitely take this to trial and be exonerated of any wrongdoing. Her trial will show the entire wizarding world who the real perpetrators are," the wizard said, staring over at Draco Malfoy, who swallowed uncomfortably.

"In addition, the witch is not a flight risk. She has a son that attends Hogwarts, an established home she has lived in for several years and she has never, ever been in any legal difficulty until this fiasco. I demand that bail be set for the witch or a reasonable reason given why she should not be allowed to leave the Ministry. And I mean a damn good reason! Charges of Destruction of Property and Reckless Endangerment are not grounds enough for no bail to be set. The witch could have murdered someone and be given bail. Now what do you say to that, gentlemen?"

The Council members talked among themselves. How had a witch like Hermione manage to get counsel of this magnitude? The Council members trembled a bit. This wizard was known to take a lot of people down when he got involved in a trial. They all looked at Draco, who shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

The wizard took this time to stick his hand out to Hermione, who grasped it…still a bit shocked at the dynamo that whirled into this proceeding and knocked everyone for a loop.

"Hello, Miss Granger. I am your council. My name is Cronnie Jockrin. At your service, my dear," he said, bowing and clicking his heels together. "You have nothing to worry about. We're going to take this council down in flames, little lady. In flames."

Hermione looked at the wizard and smiled broadly, then eyed Draco…who had a stricken look on his face as he eyed the famous trial wizard.

Shit. Things suddenly didn't look as if they were going to go his way at all.

* * *

Bail for Hermione was set at two thousand galleons, and the initial trial date a week from her release in order to give Mr. Jockrin time to subpoena the necessary witnesses. Severus left the Ministry the moment bail was set. He would see Hermione later tonight. He needed to get back to Hogwarts and let his son know his mother was released on bond.

The Potions Master was in very good spirits. Some important facts as well as rumors were going to come out in that trial that would shed light on the DKV actions. Within the organization their line might seem fine, but to the wizarding world at large, most likely that line would be seen for what it was. A program of targeted hatred. Severus apparated back to Hogwarts.

In an unused Ministry side office, Hermione and Cronnie sat down and talked for a very long time, the lawyer asking Hermione about her background, her parent's background and her son. He also asked about Mathias' father. Hermione was honest with him and told him Severus' background as well, except for his dual role in the Order. Mr. Jockrin then asked her for character witnesses, and Hermione told him the names of everyone who was likely to give her a good reference. Then he asked Hermione if she ever had any personal dealings with Draco Malfoy. The lawyer figured they had to have had some run-in since they were contemporaries at Hogwarts and she was in Gryffindor and Draco in Slytherin. Hermione recounted one situation that made Cronnie almost cackle with glee.

"Oh, this is going to be good," he said, opening his briefcase. He took out a small pensieve.

"I need you to put your memories of that day into this pensieve so I can study it," the lawyer said to Hermione.

The witch took the pensieve and using her wand, which was returned to her, pulled out the memory of Ichabod informing her she'd been replaced and dropped it into the pensieve. Mr. Jockrin sealed it and placed it in his briefcase.

"Miss Granger, can you put me in contact with anyone who can brief me on the activities of the DKV? I need to be better familiarized with their methods of operation. Much of this trial will revolve around that blasted organization's influence. You won't be the only one on trial here, Miss Granger. Not by a long shot," he said darkly.

"I can put you in contact with an authority on the DKV, who can provide you with information that's been collected about the organization for years. His name is Albus Dumbledore," Hermione said.

Cronnie's eyebrows rose.

"Ah, yes. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer; Founder of the Order of the Phoenix, Former Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Former Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945; and also discovered the 12 uses of dragon blood. He will do quite nicely, Miss Granger. Quite nicely," the wizard said, smiling broadly as Hermione stared at him with her mouth open.

"I may be out of circulation, but I keep up with the wizarding world's who's who. Have to make sure I'm still listed," he said, pulling on his mustache, his gray eyes twinkling at the witch.

"I suggest you make your home unplottable as soon as possible, Miss Granger. All kinds of crackpots will be showing up at your door otherwise, protesters and supporters alike. Some will be dangerous and there will be skirmishes between opposing individuals. In short, your home will be a war zone if it can be seen. You don't have to move…just make it invisible. I suggest making the lot appear to be a garbage dump. That will make most visitors leave quickly," the wizard said.

Hermione nodded. She hadn't even thought about public reaction and the possible effect on her private life. She needn't have worried however. Albus had already paid her home a visit and placed the necessary privacy spells on it. It was not the same concealment spell that was on Order Headquarters. This was a combination disillusionment/displacement spell. Hermione's house would be visible only those whose signatures were attached to it.

Currently, Hermione, Mathias, Severus and Albus himself were keyed to the location. Everyone else who visited the address would indeed find a garbage dump. They would be able to walk through it as well since the house would be invisible and insubstantial to others. If the witch wanted someone who was not on the signature to enter her home, they would simply have to be in physical contact and walk in with her, Severus or Mathias.

Hermione's main thoughts at the moment were getting home, getting a shower and getting into Severus' strong, comforting arms. She was almost sure the Potions Master would come to see her tonight, despite it being a weeknight. She needed him to help distract her from the nightmare she'd been through in the past couple of days. He would be more than willing, she was sure. Plus Hermione wanted to thank him properly for getting her such amazing council. Despite all his snarkiness, Severus was a sweet wizard…to her at least.

Most of the time.

Well, some of the time.

Then again, maybe a small, small part of the time.

Hermione shook her head. The description of sweet just never suited Severus, try as she might to fit the designation on him. He would look at her as if she were crazy if she told him he was sweet, and probably immediately embark on proving to her in no uncertain manner that 'sweetness' was not part of his makeup.

Mr. Jockrin told Hermione he would contact her in a couple of days and arranged for the witch to be escorted home by Justice Forall and several other Aurors.

After she had changed into her robes and filled out the proper paperwork, Justice took her by the arm and escorted her from the Ministry building. A crowd was outside and flashbulbs popped the moment she appeared. The Aurors disapparated with her.

They appeared in front of her house. Only the Aurors couldn't see it.

"What happened to your house, Hermione?" Justice asked her. "This place is a dump."

Hermione furrowed her brows at Justice. Sure, the lawn could use a bit of cropping and the flowerbeds a little weeding, but her house was hardly a dump.

"There's nothing wrong with my house," she said testily, disengaging her arm from Justice's walking into the yard and unwarding her front door. She walked inside. To the Aurors it looked as if she'd disappeared behind a tall pile of garbage. Justice ran after her into the dump. He looked around a bit before he realized that her house was hidden. Smart move. He walked back to the other Aurors, who looked perplexed.

"Miss Granger is fine. Let's go," he said.

They all disapparated.

* * *

Severus returned to Hogwarts, found the Headmaster and let him know how the arraignment went. Albus was delighted.

"Excellent!" the wizard exclaimed, "I am so glad she's been released Severus."

The Potions Master's eyes glinted.

"So am I, Headmaster," he said in a low voice, thinking about how he'd welcome the witch home.

"Does Mathias know yet?" Albus asked him.

"I don't believe so. I will find him now. I believe he's in Advanced Charms," the wizard said, "If you'll excuse me, Headmaster."

"Certainly, my boy," Albus said, his eyes twinkling. Thank the gods the witch was home.

Severus strode through Hogwarts to the Charms classroom. He knocked on the door.

"Come in," squeaked Professor Flitwick. He was standing on top of his desk lecturing his class. Severus stepped just inside the door. Flitwick's students all paled, except one. Mathias.

"Professor Flitwick, may I speak to Mr. Snape for a moment?" he asked the petite Professor.

"Certainly Professor Snape," he said, "Mr. Snape, you are excused."

Mathias rose quickly and followed his father out of the door.

"What happened, Dad?" Mathias asked Severus, his black eyes anxious.

"Your mother had been released on bond, and is home now. I managed to secure counsel for her. I believe she will come through this trial without having to do any time in Azkaban, though nothing is set in stone," the Potions Master said.

Mathias smiled broadly, and for the second time in two days, embraced his father. Severus was better at it this time and gave the boy a strong, firm embrace back before releasing him.

"I knew you'd get her out," Mathias said.

The Potions Master could clearly see the love and admiration in Mathias' eyes, and his throat tightened. Severus never believed anyone would ever look at him in such a way. He pulled himself together.

"Of course I did. You need your mother," he said rather gruffly.

Mathias eyed him for a moment, then said, "And you don't?"

Severus looked at Mathias with irritation.

"Go back to class, boy," he said, scowling.

Mathias smirked.

"All right. Thanks Dad," the wizard replied, returning to the classroom.

Severus stood there for a moment, scowling blackly.

The boy was too cheeky. Just too damn cheeky.

* * *

Later that evening, Mathias informed Jasmine that he wouldn't need to listen in on her conversation with her father after all. His mother had been released on bond and stood a good chance of being exonerated.

"Oh Mathias, that's wonderful!" Jasmine said, once again embracing the wizard. This time Mathias embraced her back. Gods, she felt good against him. Her closeness was intoxicating. He tightened his grip, pulling her against him tighter reflexively.

Jasmine went rather stiff as she became aware of the hardness of Mathias' body and how tightly he was holding her. They were in the common room and other Slytherins were watching them, whispering to each other.

"Er…Mathias…you can let me go," Jasmine whispered, her warm breath tickling his ear. "People are starting to talk."

Mathias bit back a response of "Let them talk," and released the witch, his dark eyes staring into hers.

"Sorry," he said, but he really wasn't. Jasmine felt good against him. Very good.

"It's all right. I know you are really happy your mother is free," Jasmine responded.

Mathias nodded, but his holding her tighter really didn't have that much to do with Hermione, and more to do with his growing attraction toward the witch. But the young wizard really didn't want to let Jasmine know how he was feeling. He didn't want her using it against him. Mathias had no intention on becoming one of those love-struck wizards that did back flips whenever a witch that met his fancy said "Jump." He thought it beneath him.

"Are you going to go see her?" Jasmine asked.

Normally, Mathias would…but he had a feeling his father was going to pay her a visit. Probably an overnight one, and he didn't want to crash the welcome home party.

"Not tonight. Maybe this weekend," he said.

Jasmine frowned.

"If it were my mother just coming home from a horrible experience like that, I'd go see her immediately," she said to the wizard. "Don't you care?"

Mathias scowled at Jasmine's supposition that he wasn't going to see his mother because he wasn't concerned about her.

"Of course I care. It's just that someone else is going to visit her and I don't want to be in the way. I can see her this weekend before I go to training," he said.

Jasmine looked curious. She didn't know Mathias' father and mother were lovers. The witch wondered who was so important that Mathias would step aside and let him or her visit his mother first.

"Who is it?" she asked him.

"Jasmine, you are too nosey. It's none of your business," he said loftily.

"I bet it's her boyfriend," Jasmine said, eyeing Mathias. "That would be the only person you'd let see her first."

Mathias shrugged.

"Could be her lawyer too," he said.

Yes, it could be, but Jasmine doubted it. She wondered who Hermione's boyfriend was. He had to be someone acceptable to Mathias. She was sure if he didn't like whoever it was, he'd find a way to get rid of him. Mathias didn't like a lot of people. He didn't hate them, mind you…he just really didn't care for many. He was very much like his father in that regard, although he could be very charming when he wanted to be.

"Right. Her lawyer, Mathias," Jasmine said, disbelief evident in her voice.

"Think what you want to think, Jasmine," he replied starting to leave the common room. Jasmine fell in step with him, not about to let him get away.

The witch suddenly thought of something.

"Where's Professor Snape? Doesn't he usually take you and Andreas to your training lesson tonight?" she asked Mathias.

Uh oh.

"He had something else to do," Mathias said evasively, speeding up, hoping the witch would stop following him.

Jasmine scowled.

"Something else to do? He's been taking you and Andreas to lessons like clockwork every week for the longest and now tonight he doesn't…" she began.

Suddenly, Jasmine looked shocked.

"Mathias!" she said to him, her eyebrows raised.

"What?" Mathias said, his heart sinking a bit. The secret was out.

"Professor Snape is shagging your mum, isn't he?" she blurted out.

Mathias spun on her.

"Shhhh! I don't want everyone to know," he hissed, shushing her.

Jasmine's eyes glittered.

"But that's so cool, your mum and dad together. You're like a family," she said, smiling broadly.

"A very private family, Jasmine. Please don't say anything," Mathias said, his black eyes serious.

Jasmine put her hands on her hips.

"Why would I tell anyone about your parents? Now, I mean. I'm not the same little blabbermouth I used to be. I can keep a secret," she said evenly.

Mathias looked at the witch when she said this, a funny feeling washing over him. What were Jasmine's secrets?

His look wasn't wasted on the witch. Jasmine instinctively knew the time had arrived where the dynamics between them were changing. She was becoming a young woman now, and Mathias was becoming a young man. True, they were still too young for an adult relationship…they were only fifth years, but the stirrings were there, waiting be to explored. The desire to touch, to test and particularly to tease was undeniably present.

Jasmine found Mathias attractive on a number of levels. He was intelligent, intense and physically appealing. He made her feel safe and protected. He made her feel special as well when he focused on her. Mathias did not seem to notice many witches, though they certainly noticed him with his long, silky hair, piercing eyes and dominating presence. They would giggle and make eyes when he walked by. Even the older witches in sixth and seventh year gave him a second, maybe a third glance as he strode past them. But Jasmine was the only witch he had words for. And she was glad for that.

But she knew, no matter how she was beginning to feel about Mathias, if he ever approached her on a more personal level, or indicated he would like to court her, she would have to decline because of her upcoming position as Voldemort's consort. It would be better if her heart weren't attached to any wizard…if it were, it would only make what she underwent with the Dark Lord even more horrible.

Mathias' embrace had been nice…too nice. The witch would have to avoid coming in contact with him like that if she didn't want to complicate matters. It was bad enough their contact had been witnessed by the members of their house. Some still whispered she was shagging Andreas, but no one dared confront her or the black wizard about it. Now, because of the public embrace with Mathias, the word would probably get around that she was shagging them both.

Gods, life was so complicated at sixteen.

* * *

Albus had informed Severus of the spell he had placed on Hermione's house. When the wizard apparated, he found several curiosity seekers walking up and down her street, looking for the witch's home. He quickly glamoured his face so he wouldn't be recognized. The Potions Master found he could see the house quite easily and walked into the yard. A few people watched him enter the dump and walk around a large pile of garbage…then, they didn't see him anymore. Some followed, but just came out the other side, perplexed.

Hermione had come home and showered, then dressed in a set of comfortable sweats. She was more tired than she thought because after eating a sandwich, she entered the living room to sort through her posts, and fell asleep on the sofa. That's how Severus found her, the witch's head thrown back and her mouth open, snoring.

Severus looked at the witch's position on the couch, particularly her open mouth. He smirked as a very wicked idea of how to wake her flashed through his head. But, after her ordeal, he didn't think she would be very pleased to wake up with a mouthful of hard, randy Potions Master. She'd want some other kind of reassurance that he missed her. If he woke her that way…there was a good chance her office wouldn't be the only recipient of her wrath.

The Potions Master walked around the sofa and quietly sat down next to the witch, remembering how she had been shackled. It had been terrible to see her like that…but still, some small part of the wizard's brain found seeing the witch bound and chained arousing. The potential for complete domination was appealing. Severus also pushed that out of his mind. Now was not the time to ask the witch if he could chain her down. Maybe after all this mess was behind them.

Severus brought one pale hand to the sleeping witch's head and caressed her hair gently.

"Hermione? Hermione, wake up," he said silkily.

The witch stirred slightly, turning into him. The Potions Master kissed her gently and Hermione's arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down as she slid down to the cushions, partially pulling the wizard on top of her as she deepened the kiss, her tongue slipping into his mouth. Severus let out a little groan and pulled back from her.

"Nice greeting, witch," he purred at her.

"You deserve it, and more Severus. Cronnie Jockrin? My gods, how did you manage it?" she asked him softly. Her amber eyes opened and she looked up into a face she didn't recognize. She pulled back and let out a little scream.

Severus realized he was still glamoured and quickly removed it.

"That's what you get for kissing before you look," he said to her, his black eyes glinting.

The Potions Master looked down on the witch. He couldn't imagine Hermione going anywhere away from him, much less Azkaban.

Hermione scowled at him a moment, then softened.

"How did you manage to get Cronnie Jockrin, Severus?" she asked him again.

"I don't know exactly Hermione. I took a chance he would accept the case, and he did," the wizard said. Hermione's eyes went dark.

"He must cost a fortune," she whispered, "He's the best trial lawyer there is."

Severus looked at the witch soberly.

"I would spend my last galleon to keep you out of Azkaban, witch," he said quietly, "My very last sickle."

Hermione looked up at him.

"You care about me that much, Severus?" she asked the wizard.

The Potions Master met her amber eyes.

"I desire you that much, witch," he responded, once again dancing around the emotional connotations of their relationship.

Hermione smiled at him. Severus had never said he loved her, and she never said she loved him…but she knew there was more to their relationship than extremely satisfying sex. She loved the wizard, and she suspected he loved her. She didn't need to hear it said verbatim. It was enough she felt it, like she felt it now. She also felt something else as the wizard shifted against her.

"I have a welcome home present for you," Severus said to her, grinning wickedly. "Do you want me to unwrap it here or in the bedroom?"

Hermione frowned up at him.

"The bedroom," she responded, "Although I thought the recipient of a present was supposed to unwrap it."

Severus rose and swept Hermione off the sofa, carrying her toward the bedroom.

"That's even better," he purred, kicking the cracked door open with his foot and entering with the smiling witch.

Severus wasted no time when he sat Hermione down in the bedroom. He pulled out his wand.

"Divesto," he breathed, flicking it at her. Instantly, Hermione stood before him in all her curvaceous glory. She looked down at herself.

"I need to shave my legs," she said, looking at the fine hairs on her shins.

"No you don't," Severus replied, his black eyes drinking her in. "Right now I wouldn't care if you were covered in hair, witch."

Severus turned away from her for a moment. Hermione heard him whisper something, then he turned back around and divestoed all of his clothes except for his extremely tented black boxers.

Hermione scowled at him as he set his wand down on the nightstand.

"Why do you get to keep on some clothing?" she asked him as he approached. He stopped a few inches away.

"Because I had to leave something on to be 'unwrapped,' he said, arching an eyebrow and thrusting out his hips a bit.

Hermione giggled. She couldn't help herself. But gods he looked delicious, his dark eyes glinting down on her expectantly.

"Go on, witch. Unwrap me," he urged silkily.

Hermione closed the gap between them, hooked her fingers into the sides of his boxers and kneeling, pulled them down. She looked at his loins and started laughing hysterically.

"Welcome home," Severus purred.

Hermione stood up and fell back on the bed still laughing as Severus stood in a kind of pose with his hands resting on his hips, and his pelvis thrust forward. He was fully erect, and wrapped around his member was a pretty pink bow.

"Oh Severus!" Hermione gasped, breaking into new peals of laughter as she looked at his prettily wrapped manhood. The fact that the bow was pink was even funnier. Severus pulled at the ribbon and the bow untied, dropping to the floor.

"A gift like this must be used to be appreciated," he breathed, falling on top of the laughing witch and kissing her deeply, stopping her laughter as he fit himself between her thighs. He pulled away from her mouth and raised himself up on his hands. They were lying cross-wise on the bed, Severus' feet on the floor for leverage.

"Lift your legs," he hissed at the witch, who complied, her body hot and needy now. She writhed against the wizard anxiously, not wanting to wait. Severus could read her body language as if it were large print, and didn't tease the witch. He was hungry for her as well.

"I'm glad you're home, Hermione," he purred as he thrust deep inside the witch without ceremony, making her gasp. "I would have had to arrange a conjugal visit or two otherwise. I can't imagine doing without this tight, sweet orifice for any length of time. And the witch it's attached too of course."

Hermione could only moan in response as the wizard drove home, claiming her body once again. Severus stroked into Hermione slowly and deeply, taking his time, groaning softly as her flesh caressed him, listening to her sighs of pleasure, his eyes locked to her face. He loved to see it contort as he took her. The wizard rolled his pelvis in a large circle and Hermione squealed as he stretched her around him.

"You like that, don't you?" Severus breathed, doing it again and listening to the witch's voice rise an octave. "You like everything I do to you. So wanton."

Severus locked his mouth to hers and began to take Hermione hard, jerking her body roughly as he plowed into her, enjoying her growing shrieks against his mouth. He dropped on her, grabbed the other edge of the bed firmly and used it to haul himself into the witch.

"I couldn't let you go to Azkaban, Hermione," he breathed down at her as she cried out under him. "I can't let you go anywhere witch. You belong to me," he groaned, driving into Hermione jealously, "Every inch of you is mine, inside and out. I was your first, now I am your only…you hear me witch? Next time you need to let off your frustration, you come to me. I'll give you the release you need. Release like this…"

Severus raised himself back on his hands, lifted his hips high and began to ride Hermione wildly, slamming into her with abandon, his dark eyes full of passion as he rode her. He felt her nails dig into his back and rake downward as he drove her to the brink, the witch screaming and clamping down on him, bathing him in her hot release, her arms embracing him strongly as she came.

"Yesssss. I can release you, Hermione. I will always be here for you. I will never, ever…" he panted.

Suddenly the Potions Master stiffened and let out a long, shuddering howl as he came, his body quaking as he rammed himself deep into Hermione, dropping and clutching her close as he pulsed inside her, grunting, his head spinning from the force of his climax. His mouth dropped open, and stayed that way as wave after wave of pleasure washed over him. It was almost always this way with the witch. Always powerful and satisfying. Always something more than ordinary release.

Hermione felt Severus' fluids mingle with her own, a hot, strong stream splashing against her cervix and rolling back. Overcome by emotion, she once again fought to keep from saying the words in her heart out loud. Severus had to know them. He couldn't take her this way if he didn't know them.

The couple clutched each other, riding the waves of bliss that consumed them until they spun gently to the shore, panting against each other, feeling their hearts beating in counterpoint. Severus dropped his lips to Hermione's and tasted her deeply before letting his face slide to the side, his cheek resting against hers as he wound down. Gods, the witch meant so much to him.

They lay like that for several minutes, entwined and feeling whole. Finally, Severus gave the witch another gentle kiss, then rolled off her to his back, his feet resting on the floor, his face turned towards hers. He reached out and grasped her hand in his, and Hermione turned her face toward him, her eyes soft and filled with love. Severus brought the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

"You make me feel whole, Hermione Granger," he breathed at her before letting his eyes close.

The witch looked at him, wishing she had the nerve to tell him of her love. Instead she whispered, "No more whole than you make me feel, Severus."

The Potions Master looped his arm around her shoulder and pulled the witch tight against him so her head rested on his chest and sighed contentedly.

His life wasn't perfect, but Hermione Granger certainly made the last few years bearable. Hermione and Mathias. He was a father, and although he was initially unwilling to become one, when the responsibility was dropped in his lap and he faced it, he found it the singularly most rewarding experience of his life.

Mathias was a son to be truly proud of. Brave, focused, intelligent and quick thinking Plus, he wanted to kill the Dark Lord. An aspiration completely in line with Severus' own wishes. Mathias was not only his son, but his ally. If not for Hermione, he would never have known how fulfilling the role of a father would be. He was forever in the witch's debt for her determination to raise their child on her own. Forever in her debt and forever blessed by her decision.

Severus pulled Hermione closer.

If the Fates were kind then their connection would one day be complete. The wizard didn't dare focus on such a possibility, but still…there was hope.

And hope was everything.

* * *

A/N: And that is the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 8." More to come. 


	9. Daddy Dearest Part 9

**Daddy Dearest Part 9**

The first thing Cronnie Jockrin did was to secure a jury of five muggle-borns, six purebloods and a pureblood squib. Three of the purebloods were titled and four were purebloods that worked for a living. None however were members of the DKV.

Draco argued hard for the inclusion of DKV members on the jury saying they represented a large portion of the public, but Cronnie shot him down citing the implied bigotry that accompanied membership. They could not be expected to judge a muggle-born witch fairly.

Of the muggle-borns, two held positions of authority in their respective workplaces, and three were simple working folk. Also the jury was evenly divided between men and women. Draco had also argued this because more men held positions of authority than women and understood what it meant to be in charge, and this was precisely the reason Cronnie wanted an equal amount of women on the jury…because pureblood or not, witches all felt the disparity of power in the wizarding world, and that could be a point of identifying with Hermione's frustration.

Hermione was a qualified witch who had been passed over her deserved promotion for a less qualified male, then removed from the position she held for years to make room for another male. Even without the question of DKV influence Cronnie felt this was an issue they could relate to.

Now Cronnie gave his opening remarks to the jury, the Council looking on uncomfortably, and Draco sitting attentively in his seat, listening for weaknesses in the lawyer's initial presentation. Hermione sat at the defendant's table and watched as Cronnie walked up and down the Council chamber, making his points. He was dressed in a royal blue silk robe emblazoned with silver stars, his wavy gray hair parted in the middle and his handlebar mustache was properly waxed. He cut a fine if flamboyant figure as he strode back and forth. The jury looked mesmerized as the wizard spoke.

"Is Hermione Granger a criminal or a victim? That is what you, ladies and gentlemen must ultimately decide. Now, let me tell you a little story."

"A couple of years ago, Assistant Spells Department Head Hermione Granger arrived at work ready to take on her new position as Spells Department Head, a position she was trained and prepared for by the previous Department Head, Agnes Tuttleberry for a number of years only to find that she had been passed over for a younger, less experienced wizard, Ichabod Creely, a low level Spells Master with no administrative background. To add insult to injury, Miss Granger had to train the new Department Head, which actually meant she had to perform the duties of Department Head without the benefits until such time as the young man caught on. There was no regard for promotional protocol as the Council leapfrogged this pureblood into her position."

"All of Miss Granger's evaluations indicated she was the most qualified person to fill the position. Even Former Department Head Agnes Tuttleberry said she couldn't understand why such a capable witch was denied a position she so rightly deserved. Yet, despite this snub, Miss Granger continued to serve in the capacity of Assistant Spells Department Head without complaint, doing her best and keeping the Ministry's Spells Department running smoothly."

"A little more than a week ago, Miss Granger arrived at work and found herself warded out of her office of eight years. The Department Head she trained informed her that she was to be replaced. No suitable reason was given for this replacement, other than the Council arbitrarily made this decision without the witch's knowledge. For eight years her performance had been exemplary. First, she was passed over for a position she rightly deserved. Now she found herself removed from the position she'd held earned through hard work and dedication to the Ministry without so much as even a 'thank you'. And her replacement? A pureblood wizard."

"My friends, if Miss Granger's work record reflected problems, shortages, budget issues, slack performance, I would agree that the Council was right not to promote her, or to replace her. But the facts show this is clearly not the case. I could not find one employee in the Spells Department that said her work was less than stellar. But still, on this morning that should have been like any other morning, the witch was removed from her livelihood completely with no reasonable explanation. There is only so much mistreatment a person can take and Miss Granger was taken to her limit. And what did she do? Destroyed inanimate objects. A desk, a chair, a file cabinet. But what did the Ministry do? Destroyed a life. A life she had worked hard for while raising her son and being a good wizarding citizen. When Miss Granger was hired, she was guaranteed advancement if she applied herself and worked hard. She kept her end of the bargain, only to be cast aside…and for what? Her performance? No. Because she was a muggle-born."

"Then what does the Ministry do after sacking this poor woman and taking her to the edge? They point their finger at a situation THEY caused and try to use it as proof that muggle-borns cannot handle positions of authority, and try to heap more punishment upon the witch than they already have. I intend to prove that Hermione Granger was wrongfully targeted by the Council and the Ministry itself for expulsion simply because of her status as a muggle-born witch as part of Draco Malfoy's and the Council's attempts to make the DKV line part of the Ministry's integral makeup. There is a distinct conflict of interest when the wizard who helped formulate the DKV by-laws and charter, uses his position on the Ministry Council to force those by-laws and beliefs into public law and procedure. While everyone has a right to believe as they wish…those beliefs should not be summarily fostered on the population at large. And that, my friends is what has been occurring in the wizarding world, backed up and supported whole-heartedly by this Council."

"Hermione Granger is not the only one on trial here, but the whole Ministry machine. By bringing the DKV line into a public entity designed to service ALL the people fairly and equally, the law has been broken here…and not by Miss Granger…who was driven by the unfair practices of the Council to do what she did. A desk, a chair, a file cabinet can all be replaced. Actually, they have been replaced. The office is completely restored and it only took a few moments to do it. But what about a life? How easily is that restored? Certainly not in a few moments. And even restored…it is never the same again."

Cronnie stopped pacing and stared at the jury soberly, then said in closing:

"It is your duty, my friends, to see through the illegal practices of this Council and the Ministry and acquit this poor woman of any grievous wrongdoing. At most she should only have to pay damages. And let's face it, the damages done at the Ministry pale compared to the damage done to the life of Hermione Granger. Azkaban is not in order here for a simple outburst of frustration, and if the sentence doesn't fit, then you must acquit!"

Cronnie returned to his seat, sat down and winked at Hermione. Now it was Draco's turn and he ran pretty much the same line he did when he spoke at her arraignment. However it was not met with the same reaction by the jury as it was by the pro-pureblood audience, particularly his statement that Hermione's actions proved that muggle-borns could not safely hold positions of authority. The muggle-borns on the jury eyed the wizard quietly. Draco was so used to everyone going along with the DKV line that he forgot there were those who didn't adhere to those same beliefs. When he sat down, every member of the Council was scowling at him.

Cronnie leaned into Hermione.

"That boy should have brought his own noose," he commented.

Hermione smirked.

The Council took a small recess and brought Draco into the back chambers.

"What the hell are you doing out there, Draco? There are muggle-borns on that jury and you insulted every one of them with your opening statement!" Figglesworth fumed at the blonde wizard.

"We want you to drop the charges, Draco," another Council member said, "Jockrin's going to make us all look like a bunch of bigoted fops, and most likely we will lose our seats next election!"

Draco looked at all the Council members. Normally, they just kowtowed to his wishes, but with their own livelihoods in jeopardy, they were standing together against him. Maybe they were right. Maybe he should just drop the charges and let Hermione off and cut his losses. If Jockrin would let him, that is.

Draco had the sinking feeling he wouldn't.

* * *

Andreas and Mathias were walking to breakfast when Andreas suddenly stopped, his eyes almost bugging out of his head. He started breathing very quickly. Mathias looked at him, concerned as little beads of sweat prickled the young wizard's forehead. 

"Andreas, what's wrong?" Mathias asked the wizard.

"It's her," Andreas said, staring at an attractive and extremely curvaceous black Hufflepuff witch who was chatting with a group of other Hufflepuff students. Mathias looked at the young woman, an eyebrow arched.

"Her who?" the wizard asked as Andreas continued to stare.

"My first," he breathed, "the witch I was tempted with on the plain of the Dark Soul of the World."

Both of Mathias' eyebrows rose now as he looked at the witch closely. She was unfamiliar. Probably a transfer. She looked up at Andreas and smiled shyly. Her eyes were brown, large and heavily lashed and her body type was slightly heavy-set. She was a thick young woman, with very female attributes. Then she resumed talking to her friends. Andreas made a sound in the back of his throat.

"Andreas…your first is a Hufflepuff?" Mathias asked him.

"I wouldn't care if she were a Gryffindor," the wizard replied, still staring at the witch with a rather hungry expression.

Mathias had never seen his brother act like this before. Andreas' nose was wide open. The wizard looked at his brother.

"So are you really going to…to shag her, Andreas?" Mathias asked him.

The wizard nodded.

"As soon as she will let me," he said, "It feels like I will burst out of my boxers, and I ache all over. I want her, Mathias."

Mathias looked at him. The way Andreas described how he felt, Mathias thought he sounded more sick than randy. The girl entered the Great Hall with her friends, Andreas watching her the entire time.

"But you don't even know her name," Mathias said to Andreas as they started walking toward the Great Hall.

"I will get her name. I am going to talk to her after breakfast," the wizard said. "She will feel me. She will know she's meant to be mine."

Andreas took a seat on the other side of the table where he could surreptiously watch the witch, his dark eyes glinting. He didn't speak the entire time during breakfast, and hardly ate anything. Mathias looked at him from time to time. It was as if Andreas was possessed or something.

Gods, Jasmine was supposed to be his first. Would he react like Andreas when the time came? No, he didn't think so. He was around Jasmine all the time. Suddenly, Andreas tensed. The witch was leaving, and she wasn't leaving with the group but alone. He stood up quickly.

"I have to go, brother," he said to Mathias, still staring at the witch.

From the DKV section of the table, Jasmine watched Andreas. She saw where his attention was, and how he was acting.

"Looks like cupid's arrow's struck someone in the ass," she thought, smirking. "Or someplace close."

Jasmine thought Mathias looked a bit upset as Andreas left the table and followed the witch out of the Great Hall. She imagined he was. It must be hard watching your closest friend begin to pull away from you. Well, she was still here and Andreas would settle down after a while.

This was just another sign that they were all growing up.

* * *

Draco exited the Council chambers, walked up to Cronnie and said, "Mr. Jockrin, may I have a word with you, privately?" 

Cronnie looked up at him consideringly for a moment, then rose.

"Excuse me a moment, my dear," he said to Hermione and then followed Draco into the back chambers. The Council had cleared out.

Draco offered the wizard a seat at the oval Council table. Cronnie sat down and eyed Draco as he also took a seat.

"Mr. Jockrin, after consideration of this matter, the Council is willing to drop all charges against your client in exchange for a public apology on her part and damages," the wizard said, "There is no need to make this a long, drawn out trial."

Cronnie looked at Draco, his gray eyes glittering.

"I cannot accept or decline this offer until I speak to Miss Granger, Lord Malfoy," he said evenly. "If she is willing to accept your offer, then we will pursue no further action. If she is not…then the gauntlet will be thrown down and the trial will continue."

Draco nodded. Maybe Hermione would agree.

"Very well, Mr. Jockrin. Would you agree to an adjournment and we could reconvene tomorrow to find out her response?" Draco asked him.

Cronnie nodded. Both he and Draco rose. In an attempt to suck up to the wizard, Draco said, "I've always admired your work, Mr. Jockrin."

Cronnie leveled his gray eyes at the handsome wizard. They were full of contempt.

"Too bad I can't say the same about your work, Lord Malfoy," the wizard replied.

He exited the room as Draco scowled after him.

Cronnie sidled in next to Hermione.

"The Council is willing to drop the charges against you in exchange for an apology and damages," he said to the witch. "The trial can end now if you decide to take their offer."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, then furrowed them.

"I don't want to accept their offer, Mr. Jockrin, but I am not the one paying for your services. You'll have to find out if he wants to continue. You are quite costly, you know," Hermione said.

Cronnie nodded.

"That I am, Miss Granger. I will contact the solicitor directly and find out if the third party would be willing to continue to pay my fee," the lawyer said. "If so, we are going to run this Council into the ground."

Hermione nodded as the Auror announced that court was adjourned and the case would resume tomorrow morning at nine. Mr. Jockrin and Hermione were escorted from the Council chambers. Immediately flashbulbs popped all around them as reporters crushed in from every side. The Aurors did their best to hold them off. Finally Mr. Jockrin stopped.

"The Council has made an offer to drop the charges against my client, Miss Hermione Granger in exchange for an apology and damages. Miss Granger is currently considering this offer. You'll find out her decision tomorrow when the Council does," the wizard said.

"Why are they dropping the charges? Don't they think they can make them stick?" shouted one reporter at Jockrin, who raised his bushy eyebrows.

"I don't know. You need to ask Lord Malfoy who is representing the council and prosecuting this case for that answer, sir," the wizard replied.

More questions were shouted at them as they were escorted to a cordoned off section of the Ministry where they were free to apparate. This time Hermione apparated directly into her home, having had an apparation point created attuned to her, Mathias' and Severus' signatures. She peered outside. Sure enough there were people milling about, trying to find her home. They were not supporters, judging by their signs. Hermione sighed.

She would be spending the night alone tonight, and was a prisoner in her own house. Because of the publicity she couldn't travel about in public without being mobbed or worse. Surely there were irate DKV members who would love to punish her for bringing their organization into the public eye in such a negative way. Most likely her very life was in danger.

Hermione sat down on the sofa, thinking about the day in court. Mr. Jockrin certainly knew what he was doing, and the trial was the perfect vehicle to bring out facts about the DKV and Voldemort to the public. The DKV was quick to bring down the legal axe on anyone who attempted to put them in a negative light…but since this was a legal hearing, there was nothing the organization could do. For the first time, the DKV was helpless. It would be stupid not to take advantage of this situation.

However, Hermione didn't feel that she could just continue to retain Mr. Jockrin's services without Severus' approval. He didn't say how much he was paying Cronnie, but Hermione knew it was most likely a fortune. If she agreed to the terms she was free from Azkaban, but it rankled her to have to give an apology when she wasn't the least bit apologetic for what she had done. True, it was rather childish of her…but damn it had felt good.

Hermione picked up a cushion and held it to her belly. She didn't have a job now either and that was another problem she had to face. She had enough galleons saved to be all right for a few months, plus Severus' monthly support which was a small salary in itself, but she was an independent witch and preferred to pay her own way. Severus would happily make her a kept woman if he could. But Hermione just didn't roll like that.

Well, she'd think of something.

* * *

Mathias was in his room studying when there was a knock on his door. The wizard was in his favorite relaxation garb, barefoot and in silk boxers. He walked over to the door and opened it. Andreas stood there, looking disgruntled. The wizard walked in. 

"Whoever said Hufflepuffs were easy spread a lie," he said, plopping down on Mathias' bed.

Mathias couldn't help smirking as he sat down next to the wizard.

"Her name is Dana Jackson. She's an American, and comes from the South. Alabama, she said," Andreas said. "She has the most amazing twang to her voice. Very different. She's a seventh year as well," the wizard continued.

"I walked her back to Hufflepuff house. She knew who I was, and said you and I were pointed out to her as wizards that should be avoided," Andreas said with a frown. "I assured her she would never have to avoid me."

Mathias listened to his brother. He looked very disturbed.

"She wanted to know why a Slytherin would talk to a Hufflepuff. I told her it was because I thought she was beautiful. And she smiled at me, Mathias…and it felt as if my heart would burst in my chest," the lovestruck wizard continued.

Mathias rolled his eyes.

"I tried to get her to meet me after curfew, but she said she hardly knew me. I told her she would get to know me very well if she would just meet me. And she told me I was too forward to ask her to do something like that…but she still smiled at me, so I know she wasn't displeased. Then she said that I was too young for her because I am a sixth year, but I told her I am much older than my years and I could show her that too. She laughed and shook her head. I walked her to her house and asked her if I could please see her alone, and she told me if I were truly interested in her, then I would have to spend time with her and court her. I don't know if I have the patience to court her, Mathias," Andreas said, his brows furrowing. "I know what we are meant to do and I feel inside like I felt on the plain of the Dark Soul of the World."

Mathias stared at Andreas. If he felt like that, he was indeed in trouble. Mathias vaguely remembered that powerful hunger and urge to take Jasmine, and it had been overpowering.

"Maybe you should talk to my dad, Andreas. He knows about things like this. Maybe he can tell you how to control what you're feeling. Tell you what to do about it, and about Dana," the young wizard said.

"I already know what to do about Dana. It's just a matter of getting her to let me do it," Andreas breathed.

"Still, go talk to him, Andreas," Mathias advised. He didn't like seeing his friend so out of sorts.

"All right, I will," Andreas said, staring off into space. Suddenly he rose and headed for the door.

"I'll see you later Mathias," he said.

"What about studying, Andreas? " the wizard asked him as he placed his hand on the knob.

"Not tonight, my brother. I couldn't concentrate," he said pulling the door open.

Jasmine stood there, blinking at him.

"Hello little sister," Andreas said.

"Hi Andreas," Jasmine said, smirking at him. She was about to tease him about his crush on a Hufflepuff, but something in the wizard's eyes stopped her. He walked by her and headed down the corridor. She looked after him.

"Are you coming in or what?" Mathias asked her snarkily.

Jasmine's head snapped back and she looked at him. Mathias was sitting on his bed, dressed only in his boxers. But Jasmine was used to seeing him shirtless. Her eyes narrowed then widened in shock as she looked at him.

"What?" Mathias asked her, noticing her expression.

Jasmine pointed at him.

"What's that on your chest?" she asked him. "I've never seen that before."

Mathias looked down. Shit. His serpent. He hadn't disillusioned it because he was alone in his room. He looked back up at Jasmine as she entered the room, seemingly mesmerized by the raised coiled serpent that covered his torso. She sat down on the bed, and with her fingers, traced the scars that made up the image.

"This isn't a tattoo," Jasmine said as Mathias jerked slightly at the touch of her fingers moving over his skin. Her eyes met his.

"Where did you get this?" she breathed, "It's made entirely of scars, Mathias. This had to be cut into you. And it's old too. What is it, and does it mean something?"

Mathias stood up, walked over to the chair where his wife beater rested and pulled it on, covering the serpent. Jasmine's brow furrowed.

"I got it years ago," he said. "It was a kind of gift."

"Some gift. Does your father know you have that?" Jasmine asked him.

Mathias shook his head.

"No. Up to this point only Andreas knows about it…and now you," Mathias said.

Jasmine looked at the pale wizard. Gods, he was so mysterious.

"How did you get it?" Jasmine asked him.

Mathias looked at her.

"I'll tell you one day. Not now. I don't want to talk about it now," he said, his nostrils flaring a bit. "And I don't want you to tell anyone."

Jasmine frowned at Mathias. He always thought she would blab about things. She wasn't like that anymore.

"I won't…but," she began.

"Listen Jasmine, you have secrets you don't want to tell me…it's only fair that I have secrets too," the wizard said.

Jasmine fell silent. He was right, of course.

"All right. I'll wait for you to tell me…but the serpent…it's very sexy, Mathias. Witches would go wild over it if they saw it," she said softly.

Mathias looked at her.

"Does it make you go wild?" he asked her silkily, his dark eyes seeming to go darker.

Jasmine felt a pulse below her navel as she met the intense wizard's eyes.

"What? No. No. Not me, Mathias. I meant other witches," she said lightly. "I'm used to you. I don't think about you that way. We're the Dark Trio, remember?"

Mathias continued to look at her. Finally he said, "Yes, I remember, Jasmine."

Then he noticed she had a piece of folded parchment in her hand. It had a seal on it.

"What's that?" he asked, his eyes flicking toward the parchment.

Jasmine looked down at the parchment as if seeing it for the first time. She unfolded it.

"Oh, that's why I came to see you," she said, her eyes growing dark with worry.

She handed the parchment to Mathias, who read it, his eyebrows lifting.

"A subpoena?" he asked her.

Jasmine nodded.

"It was on my bed when I returned to my room this afternoon after class. Your mother's lawyer is calling me in. I have no idea why. I'm scared, Mathias," she said in a small voice.

"Just tell the truth, Jasmine. You do that and you'll be all right," Mathias said, trying to comfort the witch.

He didn't blame her for being scared. Her father was the prosecutor. His daughter being called in by the defense was sure to make him angry. But she had to go. But why would he want Jasmine?

"Yeah, I guess that's all I can do," she said, trembling a bit. She needed comfort and looked at Mathias, who placed his hand on hers.

"It's going to be all right, Jasmine," he said soothingly.

She looked so helpless. Mathias wasn't used to seeing Jasmine looking this way. She was always so sure of herself and in control. Before he knew what he was doing, Mathias leaned in and kissed her softly on the mouth. Jasmine seemed to melt into him, her lips moving against his for a moment, before she suddenly pulled away and stood up.

"What do you think you are doing, Mathias Snape?" she seethed at him.

Mathias looked up at her.

"I don't know. Kissing you?" he replied, his dark eyes looking a bit confused at her reaction. It felt like she had kissed him back.

"I'm not that kind of witch," Jasmine said, snatching the subpoena out of the wizard's hand. "We are friends and that's all we'll ever be. Don't think you can use those eyes, and that voice and that…that serpent to sway me. There are plenty of witches you can explore your growing urges with. Don't play with me, Mathias, or you'll end up with shriveled raisins where your balls should be!"

Jasmine stormed out of his room, her ponytail bouncing as she stomped away. Mathias stared after her, completely at a loss.

He stood up, walked over to the door and looked down the corridor in the direction the witch went. She was gone. Mathias closed the door, walked back over to the bed and sat down on it. He didn't know why he felt he should kiss Jasmine, but he couldn't help himself. It seemed like she accepted his kiss at first, then suddenly…just…just changed her mind about it. He didn't understand.

Jasmine said they would always just be friends, but she was supposed to be his First. If she wasn't interested in him, how could that possibly happen? Mathias knew one thing. He wasn't going to be like Andreas, all tied up in knots over a witch. He had more dignity than that. If Jasmine didn't want him, he wasn't about to throw himself at her. He refused to give her any power over him.

Mathias fell back on the bed and scowled.

Lady Jasmine Narcissa Malfoy wouldn't have to worry about him kissing her again. First or no First.

* * *

It was dark when Hermione heard a noise and roused herself. She had fallen asleep on the sofa and must have been out for hours. She heard another click…it was the front door. Who could that be? Had someone figured out a way to enter her home? 

The witch slid off the sofa and down to the floor, pulling out her wand. Someone was moving through the foyer and approaching the living room. Holding her breath, Hermione crawled forward hoping to catch whoever it was by surprise. She saw a tall form walking stealthily into the living room. It was now or never. She cast a rope-binding spell. Loops of rope shot out the end of her wand and wrapped around the person's body tightly. Whoever it was toppled to the floor.

Hermione leaped up and turned on the magical lamps with a flick of her wand. She looked at the bound form.

It was Severus.

"Oh my gods!" Hermione cried, running forward and dropping to her knees. She looked down at the wizard, who had fallen on his back.

"I take it you weren't expecting me," he said sarcastically, his eyes glinting.

"Oh Severus, I'm so sorry!" Hermione exclaimed, flicking her wand at the ropes and freeing the Potions Master. Severus sat up on his elbows and looked at her.

"Why were you in the dark?" he asked her, sitting up fully.

"I fell asleep. You woke me when you let yourself in. I didn't know who it was…I thought…I thought it might be someone from the DKV coming to get me," she said, hugging herself.

Severus looked at the witch. How stupid had he been? He hadn't thought about Hermione being alone in the house. She had to be frightened. He pushed himself to his feet and helped her up.

"You're coming with me," Severus said.

"What?" Hermione replied, her eyes wide.

"I'll not have you staying alone in this house scared to death of someone breaking in on you, disillusioned or not. You'll stay with me at Hogwarts until this trial is over," Severus said imperiously.

"But what about Albus…the other staff?" she asked him.

"Albus will understand. You can apparate to the Ministry in the morning directly from my rooms," he said. "But you will be my prisoner. You won't be able to walk around Hogwarts freely. Voldemort allows me to be your lover, but he won't accept me in the role of your protector. So your staying at Hogwarts will have to be a secret. You will have to remain in my rooms."

"Preferably naked and in my bed," the Potions Master thought lasciviously.

Daily access to Hermione wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

Hermione opened her mouth to protest.

"Don't," Severus said warningly. Hermione's mouth closed with a small snap.

"All right, just let me get some things," she said, walking down the hallway. Severus watched her go…then followed her. Hermione walked into her bedroom, went to her closet and took out an overnight bag. Then she went into the bathroom to get toiletries. Severus sat down on the bed.

"The reason I came over here, Hermione, was to let you know if you wanted to continue the trial, I am all for it. Simon told me Mr. Jockrin made an inquiry today. It's up to you, witch," he said to her.

Hermione exited the bathroom.

"I want to go on, Severus. I just didn't want to take advantage of your kindness," the witch said.

Her Gryffindorness was showing. It was irritating at times.

"Considering all the pleasure you give me, Hermione, and all the advantage I take of your 'kindness' you shouldn't have hesitated in telling Mr. Jockrin you wanted your day in court. All that I have is at your disposal, witch. I thought you understood that by now," the Potions Master said, a bit of exasperation in his voice. "You give me every part of yourself…how could I do any less?"

Hermione appeared in the doorway, clutching the overnight bag to her chest, looking at the wizard with a sad expression.

"There's a part of me you don't want, Severus," she said softly, her eyes beginning to glisten.

Severus stared at Hermione for a moment before he rose and strode over to her, taking the overnight bag out of her hands and setting it on the floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist lightly and looked down at her.

"There's no part of you, no part at all that I don't want, Hermione," he said softly, "I just can't afford what you would give me. Not the way things are."

"But I have given it to you, Severus, whether or not you accept it. You can't expect to do what you do to me and not take my heart. You may not want it, Severus…but you have it," Hermione confessed. "You know I love you."

Severus looked pained.

"Don't say that. I know no such thing," he lied. "What I know is we have a pleasant arrangement…an attachment. A monogamous relationship that works for us. I please you. You please me. Don't make it more than that Hermione. It's too dangerous. You don't love me. You only think you do because of our extended intimacy. There really isn't much to love when it comes to me. Outside of our physical relationship, I have very little to offer you emotionally."

"That's not true, Severus. When I was arrested, you were right there to comfort me, to make me feel that everything would be all right. You supported me, gave me strength, bolstered my courage. And when I need to talk, you listen and tell me what you think. You let me open up in other ways than just physically, Severus. Intellectually, emotionally. You are here for me and for Mathias. How could I not love you?" Hermione said looking up at him.

Severus stared down at the witch.

"Let's go," he said, suddenly picking up Hermione's bag and disapparating with her, not caring if she needed to collect anything else. He just wanted her in his rooms and in his bed.

Severus' response to Hermione's emotionalism was always the same, to bury himself in the witch until she was lost to him. He hungered for what she offered him, and since he couldn't allow himself to acknowledge that fact, he did his best to feel it inside her, to hear it in her voice, taste it on her lips and see it in her eyes as he took strongly. It brought him some satisfaction, some sense of closeness, of connection. What others might see as the wizard's violent sexual tendencies toward Hermione was in reality the expression of his need for her, for all of her. Even the part of her he couldn't accept for all their sakes.

Still, from time to time Severus had to try and thwart Hermione's love for him, to try to make her believe her attraction for him was completely physical. Tonight was going to be one of those nights.

The moment they arrived in his bedroom, Severus put Hermione's bag down, whipped out his wand and divestoed her clothes, his dark eyes glinting at her almost savagely.

"You know what you love about me, witch?" he asked her, casting a silencing spell, divestoing his own clothing and grabbing Hermione. He dragged her to his bed and flung her into it.

Hermione bounced, her eyes wide, but her body and her darker nature instantly responding to his roughness. Severus dove on top of her, tussled her legs over his shoulders and slammed into the witch brutally. Hermione shrieked as he plowed through her, filling her completely.

"This is what you love about me," he gasped down at her as she cried out. He started riding the witch hard, pistoning in and out of her body like a man possessed.

"You think if I didn't shag you this good you'd feel anything for me? Anything at all?" he hissed at the witch, pummeling her body, her cries washing over him. "It's physical, witch…what you love about me is piercing you right now."

Severus dropped to Hermione's body and covered her mouth with his, kissing her passionately, his tongue coiling about her mouth as he continued to stroke her hungrily. He knew it was more than sex, but he had to speak the lie to strengthen his own resolve. Hermione was completely overwhelmed by the Potions Master, driving her higher and higher, his kiss moving her heart even as he denied it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and submitted to his power, his passion, but not to his lies. She knew why he lied…in order to try to keep her safe and his son safe. It wasn't even for his own life. Suddenly Hermione buckled and let out a shriek as the wizard took her over the edge once again, her release pouring out of her.

Severus pulled away from her, looking into her sex-glazed eyes.

"That's what you love about me, witch. My ability to bring you to orgasm after orgasm. Accept it for what it is. Accept me for what I am. Don't bring love into what we have, Hermione. Love has nothing to do with this," he groaned as his own release exploded from his loins and he crushed the witch to him, pouring all his being into her, feeling the witch more than he had ever felt anything, hating the fact he couldn't love her like she longed for.

Finally, Severus' pulsing slowed and he relaxed on Hermione's body for several minutes, his face buried in her jasmine-scented hair, feeling her heart beating against his chest as he softened, still inside the witch. Then he rolled off her, lying beside her and staring at the ceiling.

Hermione lay beside him, breathless. As she calmed, she turned her face toward the wizard.

"Severus?" she said softly.

The wizard turned his face toward the witch, his dark eyes taking in the damp curls framing her face.

"Hmmm?" he murmured at her.

"You are such a liar," she whispered, brushing his hair out of his face. "Such a damn liar."

Severus just stared at the witch.

There was nothing he could say.

* * *

Mathias had no idea his mother was in the castle. He had finished his studies and lay in his bed thinking about Jasmine. Not the kiss, but the subpoena. If the defense were calling her in, there could only be one reason…to testify against her father in some way. She didn't have anything to do with his mum, no secret information…that he knew of anyway. Jasmine's aura showed she knew nothing about her father getting the Council to sack her. Instead it showed that she felt guilty her father would do such a thing, sympathy and anger. In other words, she cared about what had happened. 

Despite Jasmine's reaction to his kissing her, Mathias was determined to accompany her to court. He hadn't seen his mother in weeks anyway. He was doing well enough in class to skive off a day…and he could handle the resulting detention his father was sure to assign him. Jasmine needed someone in her corner. As her friend, it was his duty to be there for her, despite what else was going on between them.

He slipped off his boxers and slid under the cool Slytherin green sheets of his bed. He brought one hand to his scars and traced over them, the same way Jasmine did. Her touch did things to him. He had felt all squiggly inside as she unabashedly touched his body. He knew the witch didn't know the effect she'd had on him. He thought she still might not know, despite his kiss.

The wizard closed his eyes and waited for sleep to come.

He'd see Jasmine in the morning and tell her of his plans to accompany her to court.

* * *

Jasmine stormed through the common room, up the stairs and turned down the corridor that led to her private room, her housemates looking after her. 

"Wow, Jasmine's in a right temper," one fourth-year witch said.

"Probably didn't get a proper shag from Mathias," a seventh-year replied, his lip snarled unpleasantly. "But Andreas will probably take care of her."

"Neither of us has touched Jasmine," Andreas said coldly.

The seventh-year turned around, his eyes narrowed. Andreas had just entered the common room after unsuccessfully looking for the Potions Master. He had heard the seventh-year's comment about Jasmine.

"You really expect us to believe that? You three are always disappearing around the same time, and Jasmine always comes back before you, looking exhausted," the boy said accusingly.

"That doesn't mean she's shagging us, you moron," Andreas replied, his nostrils flared.

"It doesn't mean she isn't," the boy replied.

Andreas stepped up to the seventh year. They were just about the same size. His black eyes glinted into his blue ones.

"I suggest that you take that back unless you want to duel me," the black wizard said soberly.

"Dueling's against the rules," the seventh year said nervously.

"Since when do Slytherins care about rules? Besides, the Professor is gone. There's no one to interrupt us," Andreas said, smirking at the seventh year. He shifted to aura view and could see the wizard's fear pulsing around him.

The seventh-year's face contorted. He didn't want to seem to be a coward, but the truth was he knew he was no match for Andreas. He had seen what the wizard could do. Finally, good sense won out over image.

"Fine. Maybe you two aren't shagging her. But it looks suspicious," he said in an attempt not to look like a total pussy.

"Looks are deceiving. You'd do well to remember that," Andreas said, turning away from the boy and walking toward the stairs. He sensed the boy was considering hexing him while his back was turned.

"Don't do it. You will be sorry if you do," Andreas said, placing his hand on his wand, but not turning around.

The seventh-year took his hand off his wand. Andreas continued up the stairs.

Everyone looked at each other as the tension died away.

Damn. That wizard was scary.

* * *

Unaware of what transpired in the common room, Jasmine let herself into her room and promptly warded the door. She threw herself on the bed. 

Mathias had kissed her, and it was a very sweet kiss that she felt all the way to her toes. The witch had wanted to keep kissing him, and for a moment lost herself in the softness of his mouth. But then the image of Voldemort popped into her mind and she pulled away from Mathias, angry with herself for being pulled in. She had already determined that she couldn't get involved with the handsome, dark young wizard. Not with what she had looming in her future. But one kiss had nearly broken her resolve.

So she lashed out at Mathias, determined to make him back off. He had been the aggressor, moving on her when she was vulnerable. She didn't know if he had purposely taken advantage of her state, or if his kiss was reflexive. But he was a boy, and boys took advantage of witches when they could. Most likely, Mathias wasn't any different. If her life had gone the way her father planned, she would have counted his kiss as a victory and proof of her sway over him. It would have been great progress, and she could have begun leading him on and manipulating him.

But she wasn't that Jasmine any more. That Jasmine died on the day of her evaluation. When she saw how cruel Voldemort was. The corpse was further buried when her father struck her, and sent her to the islands to become more grateful for her position and privileges, and she found out the truth about muggles. She would no more manipulate Mathias than kill him.

But she couldn't become anything more to him. It was too dangerous, probably for both of them. It would also mean telling him she was to be the Dark Lord's consort and would be deflowered by the wizard on the night of her eighteenth birthday. She knew Mathias wouldn't take that well, whether he was involved with her or not. No, she would keep her secret.

It was better that way.

* * *

Earlier that evening, Rita Skeeter walked into the main office the Daily Prophet, her editorial in hand, wanting to speak to the paper's editor, Barnabas Cuffe, before submitting the piece to the Quibbler for publication. Luna Lovegood had already agreed to publish the piece sight unseen. Luna was a pureblood, but didn't take any truck with the DKV at all. She believed it would move the wizarding world back into the Dark Ages. 

The Prophet had been slowly kowtowing to the DKV line for a number of years now, because the editor did not want the drop in circulation that would result in reporting fair and balanced news. The Prophet was a business after all, and most concerned with its own survival. Rita was hoping Barnabas still had a backbone.

Rita had a feeling that things were about to undergo a radical change in the wizarding world because of Hermione's very visible trial. The reporter had put her heart and soul into this article and was surprised at how strong her feelings were about what was happening in the wizarding world. Her article or editorial was not so much a news story, than a true call to arms. She wanted to give the Prophet opportunity to publish the piece before the Quibbler. Rita had a sense of loyalty to the paper and wanted to see it back to the state it was before the DKV came into power.

Now she sat in Barnabas' office, and watched the editor's expression closely as he read her piece. His eyebrows rose and fell as his brown eyes shifted from left to right. Here is how the article read.

888888888888888888888888

**_The Plight of Hermione Granger…the Plight of Us All  
_  
A Personal Editorial by Rita Skeeter**

**As I looked into the witch's harried eyes, I could see pain there, pain that could only be caused by mistreatment. Hermione Granger is a very talented muggle-born witch who graduated Hogwarts with the highest marks the school had seen in fifty years. She is friends with the illustrious Harry Potter and had several adventures with him during her time at the school, many of them involving the DKV's leader, Tom Riddle also known as Lord Voldemort. Miss Granger was also a contemporary of Council member, Lord Draco Malfoy and divulged that throughout her years at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy treated her cruelly and maliciously, constantly referring to her using the derogatory term of "mudblood" at every turn.**

**Now that same wizard is a leading member of the Council, who holds great influence over the policies they make. The question I ask is this, did Lord Malfoy's dislike of this witch years ago fuel the unfairness she suffered at the Council's hands over recent years? Miss Granger expressed to me her love of the wizarding world and how excited she was to discover she had the gift of magic and would be trained in its usage at Hogwarts. She also told me how hard she worked to fit in and excel in her studies. Upon graduation, she entered university and became a Spell Mistress of quality. But Miss Granger was not perfect and subject to the emotions and frailties of many of us, and found herself pregnant at the tender age of twenty. Instead of aborting the child, thus showing her deep love of life, she had him…a son and raised him up in the wizarding tradition on her own as a single mother. He now attends Hogwarts and is as exemplary as she was.**

**Hermione Granger entered the Ministry at the age of twenty-two, a low level Spells Mistress. She showed so much skill, potential and grasp of the procedural process, she was promoted through the ranks, serving in every department and learning every operation before finally being promoted to Assistant Spells Department Head, and was the backbone of Agnes Tuttleberry for a number of years. When Mrs. Tuttleberry retired, Miss Granger was next in line for the position of department head. Instead, due to a Council decision, spearheaded by her nemesis, Draco Malfoy, she was passed over and her job given to another, less qualified pureblood much to the shock of the entire department. But did Miss Granger let the unfairness of the Council shake her dedication to provide the public with the best service she could? No, she didn't. Most would have just quit the job, but Miss Granger had integrity, and trained the new head of her department thoroughly, actually acting as the department head herself for several months until he caught on. It is said that Mr. Ichabod Creely is still not operating at top efficiency, and relied heavily on Miss Granger's input in office operations, which she provided. She was the true strength behind the Ministry's Spells Department.**

**One of the wizarding world's proudest claims was our society was more accepting and tolerant of difference than the muggle world. But the growing trend toward muggle-born discrimination is setting us back centuries and we can no longer truthfully say we are any better than those muggles who exercise this same detestable practice. We are losing our identities, becoming something ugly and restricted, people. Something to be ashamed of. The DKV claims muggle-borns are destroying our traditions? I say no. NO. It is the DKV curtailing our traditions of acceptance, destroying our background of tolerance, making us weak in spirit and in love. Hermione Granger is a victim of this growing trend of magical "Jim Crow" laws. But my friends, we are all victims. Every time a muggle-born loses a home, a position or is denied service because of the accident of their birth, our traditions die a little more. It is time for the people of the wizarding world to stand up for the real traditions our society is based on. If we sit back and allow the blatant mistreatment of the Hermione Grangers of our world, we might as well remove the veil that separates us from the muggle world and become part of it. Because we will have lost the very essence of who we are.**

**I for one support Hermione Granger, because supporting this targeted witch is supporting the wizarding world I've always loved. The tolerant, freethinking, evolving society that it was meant to be. My friends, all people deserve respect, consideration, and the right to live a productive life and reap the fruits of their labors. All this was taken from Hermione Granger for no other reason than hate, a hate that is slowly being worked into our system of government without the people's consent. We cannot in good conscience allow such things to continue.**

**In the words of the muggle Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."**

_**Rita Skeeter  
Freelance Reporter  
**_

* * *

Barnabas looked up at the witch, his expression somber. 

"This is quite an editorial, Rita," he said, looking down at the parchment. "Very powerful and moving. You say the Quibbler is willing to publish it?"

Rita nodded.

"Yes sir. But I thought I would run it by you first, just to see if you wanted first dibs on it," the witch replied.

Barnabas looked at her thoughtfully.

"You know Rita, the DKV isn't going to be pleased about this article. It could mean trouble for you," the editor said.

Rita scowled.

"I don't give a dragon's ass about the damn DKV. I am a reporter and have a right to express myself freely. Someone has to say something, Mr. Cuffe. You see what's happening to our world. It's horrible. This is the first opportunity anyone has had to take the beliefs of the DKV to task. It's worth being targeted…but if I am threatened, I'll be sure to let the public know before I disappear," she said evenly, "and believe me, it won't be easy to take me. Someone's ass will fry."

Rita's eyes glittered behind her glasses. The witch did have quite a nasty streak, and she was no slouch with hexes either.

Barnabas sighed and removed his glasses.

"I'll publish it," he stated flatly. "I'm tired of the DKV too. I was worried about circulation, but I believe that this article and more like it will up our circulation as well as do a service to society. Thank you for bringing this editorial to me, Rita. Go to the front desk to receive your payment. It will be in the morning edition, front page."

"Thank you, Mr. Cuffe," Rita said, elated.

She rose to leave.

"Rita," Barnabas said to her.

"Yes, Mr. Cuffe," the reporter responded, adjusting her glasses.

"You are a very brave witch. I never would have dreamed you would become the conscience of the wizarding world," he said quietly.

Rita nodded.

"Yes, Mr. Cuffe. I'm just full of surprises," she replied with a smirk, then sauntered out of his office.

Rita was ecstatic as she headed for the front desk. She had single-handedly brought the Prophet on board in the fight against the DKV with one article. She began to feel hopeful. That good just might win over evil this time.

Maybe this was the beginning of the end of the DKV.

She certainly hoped so.

* * *

When Hermione apparated to the Ministry that morning, she was met by a broadly smiling Cronnie Jockrin. 

"Miss Granger, you simply must see this," he said, looping his arm in hers. The escort of Aurors followed them. Cronnie walked her to the front doors of the Ministry, which were still closed to the public.

"Look," he said pointing at the people.

Hermione looked. There was the usual contingent of DKV sign-bearers, but she noticed this morning they were behind barricades. A closer look showed why. On the other side was another crowd of chanting, gesticulating sign-bearers yelling at the DKV members and shaking their fists. She looked at the signs, amazed.

**"Down with the DKV"**

**"Impeach Draco Malfoy!"**

**"New Elections for Council!"**

A large white banner with red letters was stretched between two wizards and two witches. It read: "_Voldemort was, is and always will be a Murderer!_"

There were wizards dressed like train conductors wearing little makeshift Ministry shields. Even small children held balloons that said, "Respect for All." Someone in the crowd saw Hermione and Cronnie standing in the doorway and pointed.

"There she is!" the wizard yelled, "Hermione Granger!"

The crowd went wild, screaming encouragement and support at the witch, as the DKV shouted derogatory remarks trying to silence them. It didn't work.

"We love you Hermione!"

"Don't give up the fight, Hermione!"

"We're behind you all the way, Miss Granger!"

"Give the bigoted bastards hell!"

"Oh my gods, Mr. Jockrin. What happened?" Hermione asked the lawyer, her eyes round. In answer, Cronnie pulled the Daily Prophet from under his arm.

"It seems the editor of the Daily Prophet regrew a backbone. Rita has an editorial on the front page that really hit the public's conscience," he said, offering her the paper.

Hermione read the article as they walked toward the Council chamber. When she finished, she shook her head.

"Who would have known under all that trash tossing, Rita Skeeter had a social conscience?" she breathed.

"You'd be surprised at how much good can come out of people when they face a common foe," Cronnie replied, stepping aside and letting Hermione behind the defendant's table. "I hear there are sit-ins going on at a few establishments that were denying service to muggle-borns too. And it's not just muggle-borns. Purebloods and halfbloods have joined the protests too. I think it safe to say, Miss Granger that your plight has significantly woken up the wizarding world. The sleeping dragon is in effect, roaring."

"My gods," Hermione said.

Draco Malfoy entered the Council chambers and looked over at Hermione and Cronnie sullenly. He had seen the opposition standing strong outside of the Ministry and his heart sunk. He had also read Rita Skeeter's article accusing him of having a long-standing hatred of Hermione, which was true. The reporter had also targeted his policy changes within the Ministry. Up to this point, Draco had always thought of Rita Skeeter as a rather silly woman, not even a true reporter. More like a dumpster diver in the realm of news. He never dreamed the woman had any real skill at writing…but her article was as manipulative of the public's emotions as any of the DKV material he paid others to write.

He shuddered. The Dark Lord was not going to be pleased with this development. For the past few years they had advanced the wizard's cause almost without opposition. And now this. If Draco had thought sacking Hermione would have caused this outburst of social conscience, he never would have arranged for it to happen. He was the one in the hot seat now…not the witch. The wizard fervently hoped she agreed to the terms he set for the charges to be dropped.

The Auror in charge of the chambers entered from a side door.

"All rise," he intoned.

Everyone rose as the Council walked in, all decidedly somber-faced as they took their seats. What a mess this was. Every member was worried about his political future because of this case. Damn Draco. Damn him to hell.

Minister Figglesworth looked around the chambers, his eyes resting on Hermione and Cronnie for a moment, trying to divine if the witch had decided to take the easy way out. He was quite disgruntled. Someone had thrown an egg at him as he entered the Ministry building…Aurors taking off after the perpetrator, only to have the jeering crowd close in tight so they couldn't get through. He sighed.

"This trial is now in session," the Minister said, "As I understand it, a very generous offer has been made to Miss Granger, an offer to drop the charges in exchange for an apology for her actions and reparations for damages. There need not be a long, drawn-out trial."

The Minister and Council all looked at Hermione, who was stone-faced.

"What say you, Miss Granger? Do you accept our offer? You will be free to go with nothing untoward on your record," he said persuasively.

Cronnie stood up.

"As generous as your offer is, Minister and members of the Council," he said rather sarcastically, "My client has decided to pursue this matter, rather than apologize to a Council that so obviously wronged her. So we can proceed to the witnesses for the prosecution," Cronnie said.

Minister Figglesworth heart dropped. Damn it.

"So be it. The offer is hereby withdrawn," he said angrily. He looked at Draco.

"Lord Malfoy, present your first witness," he said to the blonde wizard.

Draco stood up. He didn't have very many witnesses against Hermione, but had done what he could.

"I call to the stand, Mr. Ichabod Creely, the current Spells Department Head," Draco announced.

Ichabod Creely sidled his way out of the audience and walked to the stand. The Auror swore him in with a special targeted wizarding oath for legal situations. The oath only applied to the person when they were on the witness stand and could be released by the lawyer or head magistrate…in this case Minister Figglesworth. But it had to be publicly released. And once it was, the witness was practically rendered unbelievable from that point on..

Ichabod sat down and ran his hand nervously through his blond hair. He looked quite uncomfortable.

"Please state your name, sir," Draco said, advancing on the wizard, smiling at him benignly to try and put him at ease.

"Ichabod Creely, sir," Ichabod replied.

"And your position and number of years in it?" Draco asked.

"I am Head of the Ministry's Spells Department, sir. I've held the position for a year, sir," Ichabod replied.

"Mr. Creely, would you please relate to us what happened on the day in question?" Draco asked the wizard, leaning on the witness box.

"Yes sir. Hermione Granger reported to work and I told her that she had been replaced as Assistant Spells Department Head," Ichabod said.

"Did you offer Miss Granger another position?" Draco asked him.

"Yes sir. I offered her any position she wanted at her same salary, sir," the wizard replied.

"And what did she say to that?" Draco asked him.

"That she didn't want it," Ichabod replied.

Actually Hermione gave him very good reasons why she wouldn't take another position…because more than likely her salary would be cut and she would continually be demoted. But he didn't say that. He was briefed and told to keep to a straight line and give short answers.

"Why do you think she declined, Mr. Creely?" Draco asked him.

"Because her previous position was one of status and authority," he replied.

"Objection!" Cronnie said, "Mr. Creely was in not Miss Granger's head that morning. He doesn't know why she declined."

"Overruled," Minister Figglesworth said, "The jury will disregard that objection. Continue Mr. Malfoy."

Draco smiled.

Cronnie sat back down. He wasn't fazed by Figglesworth's response to his objection. He'd expected it. But all he really needed to do was interject that thought into the mind of the jury. They might be instructed to disregard it, but it would stick anyway.

"After you told Miss Granger she was being replaced, and made her an offer of a new position, what did she do?" Draco continued.

"She said she was going to clean out her desk and left my office," Ichabod said.

"And what happened then?" Draco asked.

"I heard a blast and ran out of my office to see Miss Granger blowing up her former office. People were running and screaming in fear, but she kept right on blasting until the Aurors took her," Ichabod said, looking at Hermione who stared back at him.

"So, Miss Granger destroyed her office with no regard for the lives around her, am I correct, Mr. Creely?"

Cronnie stood up again.

"I object. Lord Malfoy is once again asking Mr. Creely to divine my client's state of mind and intentions. Mr. Creely is no authority on such matters," the lawyer said.

"Overruled, Mr. Jockrin," the Minister said.

Cronnie sat back down. Hermione leaned into him.

"He's going to keep doing that," she whispered.

"I know. But it's fine. Don't worry," the wizard whispered back, his eyes on Draco's smug face.

"Again I ask you, Mr. Creely, did Miss Granger act with total disregard for the lives of her fellow employees?" Draco asked him.

"Yes. She could have killed someone," the wizard replied.

"OBJECTION!" Cronnie roared, leaping up from his chair so ferociously, Hermione nearly fell out of hers with fright. "No one was even injured during the mayhem. The answer is totally misleading. Miss Granger only directed her blasts at an empty office! No one was in any danger!"

"Overruled!" the Minister declared.

Draco smirked at Cronnie, who sat down scowling. Draco turned to Ichabod.

"In your opinion, Mr. Creely, is Hermione Granger the kind of person who should hold a position of authority…anyplace?" Draco purred at him.

"Based on how she reacted at the Ministry, no sir…I don't believe she is. She is far too volatile and erratic to be entrusted to any position of authority," the wizard responded.

The audience murmured.

"Thank you, Mr. Creely. Defense?" Draco said, looking at Cronnie and gesturing toward Ichabod. The blonde wizard then returned to his seat, looking smug.

Cronnie rose and strutted out before the witness stand. He was dressed in a brilliant royal purple robe with yellow moons and wore a large ring on his hand made up of a cluster of yellow diamonds. He looked at Ichabod for a long moment.

"How are things at the Spells Department, Mr. Creely? Everything running smoothly?" he asked the wizard.

"Objection. I fail to see what difference that makes to this case," Draco said.

Minister Figglesworth looked at Cronnie. "Draco has a point, Mr. Cronnie. What purpose will answering this question serve? The events this trial is concerned with happened over a week ago."

"I am merely trying to establish if the aftermath of Miss Granger's outburst had any effect on the Spells Department as a whole. It is relevant, sir," Cronnie said.

Figglesworth badly wanted to keep Cronnie from asking any questions, but he couldn't do that. Overruling his objections was bad enough. If he were too constricting, the lawyer could ask for his removal citing he was biased. Which he was.

"Go ahead then, Mr. Jockrin," Figglesworth said reluctantly.

"As I asked, Mr. Creely…how are things in the Spells Department. Running smoothly?" Cronnie asked the wizard again.

Ichabod felt the magic of his oath curl around him warningly.

"Not as smoothly as I would like sir," he responded.

"Does this have anything to do with Miss Granger's being replaced?" Cronnie asked.

"Yes. Her replacement is not yet fully trained for his duties," the wizard admitted.

"I see. What types of problems are you having?" Cronnie asked him.

"Spell processing backups. Inventory shortages. Spending issues. Procedural inconsistencies," he replied reluctantly.

"I see. So in effect you are saying that since Miss Granger's replacing, the Spells Department is all screwed up?" Cronnie asked him.

"Objection!" Draco spluttered.

"I'll rephrase my question," Cronnie said smoothly. "Mr. Creely, since Miss Granger's unfair sacking, the Spells Department is not operating anywhere near full capacity, is that correct?"

"Yes sir," Creely muttered.

Draco ran his hand over his face in exasperation.

"Mr. Creely, what was your reaction when you found out you were to be the new Spells Department Head?" Cronnie suddenly asked the startled wizard.

"Objection!" Draco cried. "Relevance?"

"I shall show the relevance, Lord Malfoy, if you will let me continue my line of questioning," he said evenly, looking toward Figglesworth who nodded. Hell, if he worked with Cronnie, maybe he would come out of this with a chance for re-election.

Cronnie waited for an answer from the witness.

"Well, I was shocked," Ichabod replied.

"And why were you shocked, Mr. Creely?" he asked.

"Because it was assumed by everyone that Miss Granger would be the next Department Head," he replied.

"Mr. Creely, did you at any time try to decline the position?" Cronnie asked, staring at the wizard.

Ichabod cut his eyes at Draco, who was scowling darkly.

"Yes sir, I did," Ichabod replied.

"And why was that?" the lawyer asked, tapping on the witness stand.

"Because…because I wasn't prepared for the position," he said hesitatingly.

Cronnie looked at the wizard intensely.

"Any other reasons, Mr. Creely? Remember you are under oath," he urged.

"I believe Miss Granger was the best person qualified for the job, sir. She was trained for it and knew all the departments from working in them. I was just a Spells Master. All I ever wanted to do was create spells," he said, dropping his head. "The position is too bogged down and too complicated. I never wanted an office job."

"So tell me, Mr. Creely…if you didn't want the position…why did you take it?" Cronnie asked him.

Ichabod cut his eyes over to Draco again. Draco wouldn't look at him.

"Because Lord Malfoy told me I had to, or I would lose my position at the Ministry and be blacklisted," the wizard admitted, "I had no choice. I have a young family."

"How exactly did Mr. Malfoy say this to you, Mr. Creely?" Cronnie asked.

"Objection! Objection!" Draco cried out. "Irrelevant! This whole line of questioning is irrelevant and an outrage. What I said to Mr. Creely is of no consequence!"

Cronnie clucked his tongue at the wizard.

"I'm afraid, Lord Malfoy…everyone in this courtroom is aware of the relevance of this question. Sit down, sir and have some dignity," Cronnie said.

Draco looked as if he wanted to hex the wizard, then looked at the Minister imploringly…only to find out he was glaring at him angrily.

"Sit down, Lord Malfoy," he hissed.

"Well, Mr. Creely? How did he say it to you?" Cronnie pressed the wizard.

"He said, he wanted that filthy mudblood out of the Ministry, and if he could have his way he'd take her off the face of the earth," Ichabod said, "after he made her pay for being a thorn in his ass for all these years with her successes. He said no mudblood had the bloody right to be so successful."

A gasp went up from both the jury box and the audience. Hermione looked at Draco, who was slumped in his seat, his hand clutching his face in despair. Jasmine looked at her father with horror as Mathias scowled blackly. He wished he knew wandless magic. They'd taken his wand. He sure would like to hex the man, Jasmine's father or not.

"What do you think he meant by 'make her pay,' Mr. Creely?" Cronnie inquired, his bushy brows drawn together.

Ichabod shrugged and turned red.

"I don't know…but it seemed he wanted to hurt her. To physically hurt her. It was as if he hated her," the wizard said in a low voice.

A loud murmured rose from those in attendance and several reporters bolted from the room. Cronnie nodded and turned to the jury, giving them a hard look before turning back to Ichabod.

"That will be all, Mr. Creely. Thank you," he said, returning to his seat.

Ichabod practically launched himself out of the witness chair, and instead of returning to the audience, he exited the chambers.

"There will be a two-hour recess," Minister Figglesworth announced, his eyes resting on Draco murderously.

"All rise," the Auror announced as the Council filed out the room, Figglesworth crooking his finger at Draco as he exited.

The wizard rose and sullenly followed as Hermione and Cronnie watched him go.

"Damn. Draco is in some shit," Hermione said.

"He deserves to be," Cronnie replied, "He's a cruel, hateful wizard."

"Mum!"

Hermione turned to see Mathias standing near the defendant's table. He was a full head taller than her now, and looked absolutely wonderful, scowling at her. Cronnie quickly let her out and she embraced her son, pulling him down and kissing him all over his face. Mathias took her mothering stoically, though he did turn a bit red. Finally Hermione released him.

"Mathias, what are you doing here?" she asked her son

"Moral support," he replied, stepping aside so she could see Jasmine. The witch's eyes were filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Granger. My father has been awful to you," the girl said, her tears beginning to fall. Hermione's heart went out to her. She seemed nothing like her father.

"It has nothing to do with you, Jasmine," she said soothingly, cupping the witch's face.

"Still, it's awful," Jasmine huffed.

Mathias put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

"It's all right, Jasmine," he said softly. "Mum's not blaming you for your dad being a big bas...git."

His eyes cut to his mum, but she seemed to have missed his slip.

Hermione was watching her son's show of affection with a little bit of alarm. Her son was growing up. Jasmine Malfoy. Good gods, he couldn't have a thing for her.

Cronnie smiled at Jasmine.

"Lady Malfoy. I'm Cronnie Jockrin, and you are just the young lady I wanted to see," he said.

Jasmine sniffed and wiped her eyes. Mathias still had his arm around her shoulder and his demeanor became somewhat protective as he looked at his mother's lawyer.

"Why do you want her?" he demanded, bass in his voice.

"Mathias! Show some respect young man," his mother exclaimed, shocked at the fierceness in her son's voice. Mathias looked at Hermione sullenly.

Cronnie smiled.

"It's all right, Miss Granger," he said, eyeing the boy. "I assure you, Mr. Snape, my intentions toward your witch are quite honorable."

His witch?

Suddenly Mathias released Jasmine quickly.

"She's not my witch. She's my friend," he said to the wizard.

Hermione breathed a silent sigh of relief. He was being protective because he considered Jasmine a friend. Thank the gods.

"I just want to ask her a few questions. She's a minor. I only subpoenaed her to get her here. After we talk, she can agree to take the stand or decline. It will be totally up to her," the lawyer said.

This seemed to make Jasmine relax. Cronnie offered her his arm.

"If you'll come with me, Lady Malfoy…I'm sure we can find a quiet place to talk," he said pleasantly.

Jasmine took his arm. Mathias seemed to tense and he started to follow them. Jasmine looked over her shoulder at him.

"No, I'll be all right Mathias," she said. "Just wait for me, all right?"

Mathias scowled at Cronnie. He didn't trust him.

"All right. I'll be here," he said, a note of warning in his voice directed at Cronnie.

The wizard chuckled.

"Ah, to be young and in lust," he thought as he guided the witch through a side door.

Mathias watched them go and turned to find his mother staring at him.

"You certainly seem attached to Jasmine Malfoy," Hermione commented.

"Aw mum. Stop making goo-goo eyes at me. She's just my friend. I'm not interested in any witch. Too much trouble. They want too much time. I need my time," he replied.

"I notice you made time enough for Jasmine to come to court with her. And I hope you have permission to be here," she said evenly.

"What do you think? You're my mum and you're on trial," he replied frowning at her.

He didn't have permission but figured his mum might assume he did with that comment. Hermione fell for it.

"Well, do you feel like getting a bite to eat before court reconvenes?" she asked him. They could go to the Council lunchroom and grab a bite.

"Sure," he said, looping his arm in his mother's and glowering darkly at the people around them. He acted more like a bodyguard than a son.

Hermione could feel the tightness of his biceps beneath his robes.

"My, you're really bulking up, Mathias," she commented, squeezing his arm and grinning at him.

"Clean living and plenty of exercise," the wizard responded.

Hermione laughed as they made their way through the crowd outside, Aurors surrounding them.

Things were looking up for the side of Good.

* * *

When court reconvened two hours later, Cronnie returned and sidled in next to Hermione. He leaned into the witch 

"Lady Malfoy will not be testifying," he said, "After talking with her I decided it would be too hard on her to publicly speak against her father, and would make an already difficult life much more difficult."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Jasmine is a Malfoy and probably one of the most pampered witches in the wizarding world," the witch replied, remembering how spoiled Draco was when in Hogwarts. "How difficult can her life be?"

"Evidently, quite difficult. But what Lady Malfoy told me, she told me in strictest confidence, Miss Granger. Suffice it to say Lord Malfoy is a truly cruel and selfish man who has certain expectations of her that fall beyond a daughter's duty. Yet, he is her father and she has to treat him with respect."

The lawyer sighed deeply, his eyes clouding.

"I sincerely feel for that child. In Jasmine Malfoy's case, she is an apple that has fallen far, far from the Malfoy family tree," he said as the Auror entered from the side door and instructed everyone to rise.

The Council filed into the chambers and took their seats…Draco following, looking extremely haggard. Hisses rose as he entered and he scowled blackly at the audience before sitting down in his prosecutor's chair.

"This trial is now in session," said the Minister, "Prosecutor, call your next witness."

Draco stood up.

"I call Marietta Edgecombe to the stand," Draco said.

Cronnie felt Hermione stiffen next to him.

"Oh my gods…she…she shouldn't remember," Hermione breathed. "Kingsley modified her memory. It must not have taken fully."

"Remember what?" Cronnie whispered to her.

A witch with curly reddish-blonde hair and a rather pockmarked face walked determinedly up to the witness stand, took the oath and sat down, glaring at Hermione.

Hermione quickly told the lawyer about how Marietta was a member of Dumbledore's Army and betrayed them to Dolores Umbridge, which unleashed a terrible jinx on her that made great purple pustules spell out the word "SNEAK" on her forehead. Hermione had designed the jinx and apparently Marietta still bore the marks from it.

"Your name please," Draco said to the witch.

"Marietta Edgecombe," she said loudly so everyone could hear her.

"Are you familiar with the accused?" the wizard purred.

"Yes I am. Hermione Granger. She is the witch who scarred my face!" Marietta exclaimed dramatically, pointing her finger at Hermione.

Murmurs went up from the audience as Hermione sunk down in her seat a bit.

"Sit up!" Cronnie hissed at her.

Draco feigned great surprise at this.

"Do you mean to tell me, Miss Edgecombe, that sweet, studious, hardworking has-never-done-anyone-wrong-in-her-life Hermione Granger caused you bodily harm?" he asked her, looking at the jury, who were studying the witch's face.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you," the witch said angrily.

Draco nodded and addressed the jury.

"Apparently Miss Granger has quite a nasty streak that evidenced itself long before the Ministry incident," he said to them.

The jury looked at Hermione for a moment, then back at Miss Edgecombe.

"Tell us, Miss Edgecombe, how did Miss Granger cause your terrible disfigurement?" Draco asked.

"Miss Granger and Harry Potter formed an illegal club that was teaching students dangerous and forbidden spells at Hogwarts. She forced us all to sign a parchment of secrecy. I stood it as long as I could, but they were teaching us very dangerous spells, and I thought it was wrong all along. Someone was going to get hurt, so I reported the club to the High Inquisitor, Dolores Umbridge…who represented the Ministry. I was doing the right thing. And then…and then…"

The witch dramatically burst into great sobbing tears. Draco gallantly offered her his handkerchief, drawing it from within his robes and handing it to her.

"I know…I know it is difficult reliving such a horrible event in your life, but try to control yourself and finish, Miss Edgecombe," Draco said soothingly.

Marietta gulped a few times, then regained her composure.

"Practiced," Cronnie whispered to Hermione. "The whole thing is staged."

Hermione didn't reply, but just stared at the witch. She hadn't known the marks would be permanent. The Spells Mistress felt terrible.

"Wow, mum," Mathias murmured to himself, rather shocked at the testimony, "I never knew you were so vindictive."

"Then these terrible oozing sores appeared on my face, spelling out the word "SNEAK", the witch gasped. "And they took forever to heal."

Draco shook his head sympathetically.

"Yes, and we can see the results of that, Miss Edgecombe. Did Miss Granger make any attempt at reparation?" he asked the witch.

"No. She didn't care one bit how she ruined my face. She never even apologized to me, and everyone else treated me like a pariah," the witch said, sobbing again.

"Now that's just terrible. Terrible," Draco said, looking at the jury. A few of them looked visibly sympathetic to Marietta's plight.

Cronnie was staring at the witch intently. His brow furrowed for a moment…then he smirked.

"You have our sympathy, Miss Edgecombe. You were another victim of Miss Granger's violence. We are so sorry for you. Although the statue of limitations has run out on this crime, maybe you will find some small satisfaction in Miss Granger's paying the price for her latest acts. Defense's witness."

Marietta continued to sniffle as Cronnie rose and approached the witness stand.

He studied the witch's face.

"Miss Edgecombe…you are aware of how an oath in a hearing of this type works, are you not?" he asked her.

Marietta's eyes narrowed at him suspiciously.

"Yes, it keeps you from telling a lie," the witch said slowly.

"And you haven't exactly lied to us, have you? You have recounted the events of what happened to you correctly, am I right?" he asked her.

"Yes," she replied.

"But you do know that lying under oath is punishable by sixty days in Azkaban, don't you?" he asked.

Marietta nodded, looking a bit nervous now.

"Is there anything in your testimony that you would like to recant?" Cronnie asked her, his gray eyes glittering at her. "If you do it now, you will be forgiven."

Marietta looked at the wizard, and the jury looked at her hesitant reaction. Some began to look a bit suspicious. Then Marietta's eyes hardened.

"It happened just as I said it did," she declared firmly.

Cronnie nodded and walked a distance away from her.

"Yes, Miss Edgewood, I imagine it did. You joined a club that was training students to prepare to battle the forces of the Dark Lord in apparent good faith, signing your name to a parchment that stated you would not reveal this club to anyone. Then you broke your promise, probably in order to get yourself in better with Miss Umbridge and received a punishment for your betrayal. By the way, that group of students successfully battled a contingent of deatheaters in this very Ministry, thwarting the Dark Lord goal of getting his hands on a Prophecy that concerned him and Harry Potter. Did you know that?"

"I heard something of it," Marietta said dismissively, but it still doesn't change what happened to me."

Cronnie looked at her.

"Maybe it doesn't, Miss Edgecombe, but this certainly does!"

Cronnie thrust his hand at Marietta, whispering a spell and her face cleared. Not a blemish on it. The audience members gasped.

"A glamour, Miss Edgecombe! A glamour! You entered these chambers with the express purpose of misconstruing the truth. The oath didn't catch you because you didn't claim the marks remained on your face…"

Here Cronnie turned towards Draco.

"But Lord Malfoy did…and he is not under oath.

"You received, Miss Edgecombe, your just desserts for betraying a group you purported to support, just as you will receive your just desserts now! Aurors!" Cronnie called out.

The Aurors on the double doors of the chambers walked forward and took hold of Marietta, who screamed, "Draco! Draco, you said it would be foolproof! That it would be easy money, damn you! Draco! Help me!"

Draco dropped in his seat, holding his head in his hands as Marietta was taken out of the witness box and escorted from the chambers. She was on her way to cool her heels in Azkaban for two months.

Cronnie looked at Draco.

"Any more witnesses, my Lord?" he asked him.

Draco knew he was in deep shit now. It wouldn't come up in this trial but there would be an inquiry into his relationship with Miss Edgecombe. He was sure he could slither his way out of it…but it would be extremely uncomfortable.

"Man, your dad sucks at this," Mathias said to Jasmine, who scowled at him. "Every witness he calls makes him look worse and worse. It's like he's on trial and not mum."

Jasmine pinched her nose. Mathias was right. Her father really deserved what he was getting but she couldn't help feeling bad for him. He was her father after all. Maybe he'd learn something from all this.

Hermione leaned toward Cronnie as he returned to his seat.

"How did you know she was glamoured?" Hermione asked him.

"Because a glamour is an illusion. A very small illusion…there is a slight delay in the motion of it. It has to catch up to sudden movements of the body. It's very slight, but if you are familiar with the phenomenon, then you can catch it. Luckily for you, Miss Granger, I am familiar with it," he said, waiting for Draco to call his next witness. "She was quite a sympathetic witness against you. Until she was proven to be a traitor and a liar, that is."

Draco reached in his pocket for his handkerchief to wipe his face and realized it was on its way to Azkaban with Marietta. He scowled slightly, then stood.

"I call my next witness, Miss Dolores Umbridge," Draco said.

There was a lot of motion in the back row, punctuated by high pitched grunting and scattered groans as Dolores Umbridge struggled past the witches and wizards, her flat, large ass brushing against them in the process…which was the reason for the groans.

The witch rolled down the aisle and after two tries, slid her bulk into the witness box. Draco was staring at her with a frank look of distaste on his face. She had to be the most unappealing witch he had ever seen. His look was mirrored by the audience.

Mathias' face contorted.

"What is that?" he hissed.

Jasmine elbowed him, hard.

"You're at a legal procedure, Mathias. Behave yourself," she hissed back at him.

Mathias arched a discriminating eyebrow.

"By the look of her, I thought I might be in swamp or marsh," he whispered, only to get another hard elbow. Good thing he was in shape. Jasmine had very pointy elbows.

Dolores Umbridge really was quite toad-like, even more so when she was rousting the halls of Hogwarts years ago, if that was possible. She was large, squat, with a long toad-like mouth. It didn't help a bit that she had a small bow in her iron-gray hair that looked like a fly resting on her locks. She settled into the chair in the witness box looking for all the world like a smaller version of a muggle fantasy creature named Jabba the Hut from a fictional book named "Star Wars."

Hermione looked at the witch, who met her eyes hatefully for a moment before composing herself. Draco was really scraping the bottom of the tankard to find people who hated her.

Draco cleared his throat.

"Your name please," the wizard asked the witch politely.

"Dolores Jane Umbridge," she said in a girlish, high-pitched voice that seemed completely wrong for her.

"And your line of work, Miss Umbridge?" he asked her.

"I'm retired," Dolores said, "After a long and dedicated service to the Ministry of Magic under Minister Fudge…who was unfairly railroaded by the way."

Fudge was found out accepting bribes from deatheaters to report on the goings-on at Hogwarts, which was why he sent Dolores to the school in the first place. He was still in Azkaban.

"Yes, I've heard as much," Draco said, not wanting to upset the witch concerning Fudge.

"Are you familiar with the accused, Hermione Granger, Miss Umbridge?" Draco asked her.

Dolores Umbridge narrowed her toadish eyes as she looked at the witch.

"I certainly am. Miss Granger is the most sneaky, rule-breaking, authority-hating witch it has ever be my displeasure to know. She is a liar, and a good one, believe me."

Draco raised his eyebrows.

"Really, Miss Umbridge. Can you give the jury an example of her abilities?" he inquired.

"Most certainly. Certainly. As High Inquisitor, I had a certain flare for discerning lying students. Despite my skill and experience, Miss Granger managed to lead me into a centaur ambush, handing me over to the creatures who carried me away and did unmentionable things to me," she said, her eyes glazing fondly for a moment. "I was rescued eventually by Albus Dumbledore, who took his time coming to my aid."

"I know about this sicko," Cronnie said to Hermione.

"I see. And this affected you how?" Draco asked.

"For months afterwards I was wakened from my sleep by the sounds of hoof beats. It was horrible…oh and the dreams. Great randy centaurs bearing down on me with their naked upper bodies and huge erect, dripping co…"

"Ah, we get the drift of it, Miss Umbridge," Draco said, his stomach turning.

The witch had been shagged by centaurs? Actually, looking at her…it made sense. No wizard in his right mind would touch her.

"Did Miss Granger ever try to make reparations?" he asked the witch.

"No. No she didn't. No one did. I did go back looking for the centaurs however, in case they wanted to…" she began.

"Er…that's enough about that subject, Miss Umbridge. In your estimation, is Miss Granger suitable for Ministry employ in a position of authority?" Draco asked her hastily.

A look of horror crossed the witch's face.

"No. Never. Never. Never. Never. It would be a desecration of the Ministry and its fine standards. The witch should have never made it through the doors, though I always suspected she screwed her way to the top," the witch said, scowling at the petite witch.

Hermione's eyebrows rose in disbelief at this statement.

Mathias really wished he had his wand. Suddenly he concentrated.

Jasmine felt the wizard slump against her.

"Mathias? Mathias are you all right?" she whispered shaking the wizard. He didn't respond.

Suddenly Dolores stood up in the witness box.

"I am a fat, lying toady!" she announced, then dropped heavily back into the chair, looking bewildered.

Jasmine stared at the witch as did the rest of the audience, then she returned to trying to rouse Mathias.

"Mathias!" Jasmine hissed, still shaking the wizard. He blinked and straightened.

"What happened?" he asked her.

"I don't know…it was as if you had a narcoleptic episode or something," the witch replied.

"Maybe I'll go see Madame Pomfrey when I get back to Hogwarts," he responded.

"Yeah, you do that," the witch said, looking at him anxiously, "Anyway, you missed it. Umbridge stood up and announced she was a lying toad."

"Really?" Mathias said, smirking.

He loved soul travel. Even if he could only do it for a moment or two.

Draco did a fast recovery.

"But surely you are not lying about this, Miss Umbridge?" he urged.

"Um…no…no I'm not," the witch replied, still shaken. It felt as if someone else had been controlling her body for a moment, crowding her over and making her move. She was going to see a healer as soon as she got home.

"Good. Defense's witness," Draco said, hurrying to his seat.

What the fuck just happened?

Cronnie stood up and approached the witch.

"Miss Umbridge, your despotic reign at Hogwarts is remembered by teachers and students alike with fear and loathing. You systematically closed off all contact with the outside world, dumbed down classes and ruled with an iron wand," he said to her.

"Yes I did. Those were good times," she said dreamily.

"Miss Umbridge, remember you are under oath. Wasn't your presence at Hogwarts meant to quash the truth about the return of Voldemort at the Minister's urging?" he asked the witch.

Dolores' mouth worked as the oath came down on her.

"Yes," she grunted. "And to keep Harry Potter from spreading lies," she added.

"But they weren't lies, were they?" he asked the witch.

"Eventually we found out the Dark Lord really had returned, yes, to lead us to a better world," the witch replied. "A world were purebloods will reign supreme and mudbloods like Miss Granger will be regulated to the lowest strata of society, where they belong," she spat.

The muggle-born members of the jury frowned slightly at this declaration.

"Miss Umbridge, are you by chance a member of the DKV?" Cronnie asked her.

In response, Dolores jerked up her robes sleeve and displayed her Dark Mark.

"I most certainly am, and am proud to be. Muggle-borns do not belong among us at all if you ask me. I am currently working on a committee that is focused on creating a separate wizarding state where they all can go. Separate but equal. That would solve the mudblood problem most satisfactorily," she said.

Cronnie looked at the witch, then back at Draco, who once again had his head in his hands. Didn't he screen his witnesses?

"No more, questions, Miss Umbridge. You may step down," Cronnie said.

"But, but don't you want to hear about other projects in the works…like the Muggle-born sterilization program and the…"

"That will be enough, Miss Umbridge…you…may…step…down!" Draco hissed at the witch.

Gods she must be senile.

Hermione just shook her head in disbelief as the audience murmured among themselves. What a damning comment on the activities of the DKV. This statement was made in a legal proceeding, and despite the Ministry's hands-off policy concerning the DKV, this very public statement warranted an investigation into the matter. The planned sterilization of a whole segment of wizarding citizens was a horrifying thought to consider.

"This court is adjourned," Minister Figglesworth said. The wizard's eyes were completely bloodshot and he looked as if he hadn't slept in days. "We will reconvene tomorrow at nine o'clock to continue this…this…"

The Minister looked at Draco wearily.

"…this 'trial,'" he finished.

The Auror announced for everyone to stand as the Council filed out.

"I can only imagine what the newspapers will say about this tomorrow," Hermione said to Cronnie as they slipped out from behind their table.

"I have no idea, but I know it will sell papers," he replied as they exited the courtroom. "But I think Draco is out of witnesses. So tomorrow, the prosecution rests and the real fun starts."

The lawyer grinned wickedly, his eyes lighting up.

Tomorrow was going to be a red-letter day.

* * *

After his last class, Severus was heading for his private rooms when his Dark Mark began to burn furiously. The wizard gasped and clutched his arm, stumbling into the corridor wall. Voldemort wanted him, and wanted him now. Several students were in the hall and looked at the wizard, startled. 

"Are you all right, Professor Snape?" a worried looking Hufflepuff witch asked him.

"I'm fine…go on," the Professor said through gritted teeth, straightening.

The witch hurried off.

Severus let himself into his office, grimacing. His mark hurt like hell. He hurried into his study, then his bedroom, sliding open his secret panel and quickly putting on his deatheater robes and mask.

He dropped his occlumency wall and disapparated.

Voldemort was sitting on his throne, scowling. He had been following the trial and keeping track via the newspapers and getting inside information from several DKV members who worked at the Ministry. He was furious. This blasted trial had gotten out of hand. Draco, for all the help he had been over the past few years was a fucking idiot. In less than a week he had managed to undo all that they had worked so hard for. People were out in the streets bashing the DKV and gathering strength and confidence. Plus, they were opening old wounds.

Well, he would deal with Draco later. Right now, he needed to deal with the mudblood Severus was sleeping with. The wizard knew that several large withdrawals had been taken from Severus' accounts. Since the witch had enlisted the trial lawyer, Cronnie Jockrin, Voldemort had an idea where the money was going.

Severus appeared in front of the throne. The wizard dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

"You summoned me, my Lord?" Severus asked, his eyes on the floor.

He had a very bad feeling about this.

"Yes, Severus I have. Remove your mask and approach the throne," the red-eyed wizard said in his high-pitched voice.

Severus stood, lowered his hood, pulled off his mask and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he approached the throne. He kept his eyes on the floor as protocol dictated.

"You may look at me, Severus," the wizard said.

The Potions Master raised his head.

"Thank you, my Lord," the wizard responded.

Voldemort studied Severus, his long, elegant fingers tapping the arm of his throne.

"Severus, your son's mother is in the public eye, and her trial is causing quite a stir," the wizard said. "You are still shagging her I presume?"

"Yes my Lord," Severus said.

"Well her trial is having a negative effect on my efforts, Severus. She has excellent counsel, though Draco is doing so badly as to make that counsel almost unnecessary. My question is, how is she affording Cronnie Jockrin, Severus?"

Severus swallowed, knowing the Dark Lord probably already knew about the withdrawals from his savings.

"I am paying for it my Lord. The witch asked me to, as did my son," Severus lied. "I couldn't very well deny my son, my Lord…not if I want to keep my influence over the boy. If I let his mother go to Azkaban without doing anything, he would hate me."

"But Cronnie Jockrin, Severus? He is most dangerous, and most flamboyant. You should have known that his very presence would make the trial more visible," the Dark Lord hissed.

"It was who she wanted, my Lord. I had no idea this would happen," he lied.

Voldemort looked at him.

"You will stop paying the wizard for his counsel. Today. Now. Immediately. I want him off the case, Severus. I do not want him showing up in court tomorrow. Do you understand me?" Voldemort said imperiously.

Severus nodded.

"Yes, my Lord," Severus replied.

"I want you to remember this, Severus. I only allow you to be involved with the mudblood witch because your son is powerful and I want him. But your involvement with her is supposed to be basically to keep your son happy. If he is upset with you about withdrawing your support from his mother, lie and say your funds couldn't cover her legal costs and leave it at that," the wizard said.

Severus nodded again.

Voldemort looked at him a moment, then pointed his wand at the Potions Master.

"Crucio!" he cried, holding the blast on the shuddering wizard a full minute before letting him drop, gasping and panting to the floor. He had shit on himself.

Voldemort lazily scourgified Severus.

"That is just a little taste, Severus. You deserve much more than that, but you must get to your solicitor. Consider yourself lucky," the despot said. "Now go!"

From the floor, the wizard gasped, "Thank you, my Lord," and disapparated, returning to his rooms in a prone position, startling Hermione, who had been changing into something more comfortable after her day in court.

"Severus!" she screamed, running over to the shuddering wizard. She recognized the deatheater robes. "Oh my gods. Voldemort got to you!"

She pulled the wizard against her, and gently stroked his hair as his shuddering slowed. There really was little more she could do than that. Pain potions didn't work on the Unforgivable. Only time took away the pain.

She knelt on the floor, holding the wizard and talking to him soothingly as his tremors died down. After about forty-five minutes, Severus was able to rise with Hermione's help.

"I need to go see Mr. Jockrin," Severus said.

"But Severus, isn't that dangerous? I thought you were operating through Mr. Dewgooder," Hermione said, her eyes worried. "A third party."

"I knew it would only be a matter of time before Voldemort found out I was paying for your counsel, Hermione. He knows, so there is no reason not to see Mr. Jockrin personally," the wizard said. "Do you know where he is staying?"

"Why do you need to see him, Severus?" Hermione asked him.

"Voldemort wants me to stop paying for your counsel immediately, Hermione. He doesn't want Mr. Jockrin in court with you tomorrow," Severus said. "Draco has dug a deep enough hole for you to be acquitted just on the basis that his crimes make yours pale in comparison. But if the trial ends now, then important information about the DKV and Voldemort will not make it to the general public. This is more than a trial, Hermione…it is our vehicle to begin to topple that organization. I need to lay the cards on the table with Mr. Jockrin. Hopefully he will see what is at stake and continue."

Hermione stared at Severus, then gave him the address of the wizarding hotel Mr. Jockrin was staying at, and the password that would get him past the lobby and the protections around the wizard.

As soon as he was able, Severus disapparated.

* * *

"So you see, Mr. Jockrin, that my hands are truly tied in this matter," Severus said to the wizard. They were sitting in the drawing room of the lawyer's suite, firewhiskeys on the table before them. Cronnie arched an eyebrow at the dark, pale wizard looking somberly at him. 

"Thirty years as a spy in the Dark Lord's ranks without discovery. Quite amazing, and quite selfish. Such a job is thankless and has no recognition to speak of…for the obvious reasons. So I imagine your motivations are singularly unselfish. You do this in the hopes of bringing down Voldemort," the lawyer said.

Severus nodded.

"Extraordinary," Cronnie said, taking another sip of his firewhiskey. "I imagine the Dark Lord was quite upset."

"Yes. If it weren't for the fact I needed to tell you I no longer could retain your services, I imagine I would still be there…" Severus began.

"Being tortured, no doubt," Cronnie concluded.

Severus didn't say anything.

Cronnie stood up and started to pace, the Potions Master's dark eyes following him.

"Professor Snape, when I first received the packet containing the information about Miss Granger's plight…I immediately recognized the potential for ripping a huge, gaping hole in the DKV's hold on the wizarding world. I even told myself I would be willing to handle this case pro bono. It seems that is exactly what I am going to have to do. I hate leaving a case unfinished, and I would not abandon your lady to the Ministry in any case. I am a gentleman after all, sir," Cronnie said, smiling at the wizard.

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. He rose and walked over to Cronnie, giving him a firm and thankful handshake.

"This is quite generous of you, Mr. Jockrin," the wizard said.

"Nonsense. I am a citizen of the wizarding world too. I am simply doing my duty, Professor. The DKV must be broken, and this is the best way to do it. Plus I am really looking forward to tomorrow. May I show you something?" Cronnie asked Severus.

"Yes," the Potions Master replied.

The wizard walked over to his briefcase, opened it and took out a photograph. He handed it to Severus, who actually let out a gasp.

"Where…where did you get this?" the Professor asked him, amazed.

Cronnie smirked.

There are ingenious pair of wizards…twins I believe, named Fred and George Weasley who run a joke shop in Diagon Alley. But besides jokes, they create the most amazing gadgets and gizmos that they sell in private sales. This is a Pens-pic. A snapshot taken from the mind of a person based on their memories. This photo has been declared a true recollection and image by several experts from the healing community, who witnessed its extraction from the mind of one Harry Potter using the specialized Pensive camera developed by the Weasley twins. I have signed certification from each expert concerning its authenticity. I will be introducing this photo into the trial, as well as simultaneously distributing several thousand to the public tomorrow," the lawyer said.

Severus' mouth dropped open. He couldn't even speak for several moments.

"But…but Harry's been on assignment ever since the trial started," Severus stammered.

"Professor Snape, I am a lawyer with a number of resources at my disposal. Borrowing Mr. Potter was not difficult. A port key, a hospital room, some experts and witnesses and the deed was done," the wizard said. "And it was done during his lunch break, so there can be no complaints from the Ministry concerning laxness in duty on his part," he added.

Severus shook his head. The man was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

"This is going to throw the wizarding world into an uproar…including the DKV. But…but many will say this is a forgery," Severus said.

"Not the way I'm going to introduce it, Professor. Trust me," the wizard said slyly. "There will be no doubt as to its authenticity when I am finished."

Severus stared at the wizard, wishing he could be in the courtroom when this little beauty was presented in evidence.

"You are amazing, Mr. Jockrin," Severus said sincerely.

Cronnie smiled.

"So I've been told," he replied.

* * *

Hermione anxiously paced the Professor's private rooms, walking from the study to the bedroom to the study again so often, it was a wonder she didn't wear a groove into the stone tiling. 

She didn't know what to think. Mr. Jockrin was a dedicated lawyer, but he required a fee to work. He had to make a living after all, and though he was pricey, he was worth every galleon. Hermione had a sinking feeling that she might be in court alone tomorrow.

Mathias had stopped by earlier to check on her. He was delighted to know she was staying with his father for the duration of the trial. Of course, he couldn't tell anyone…so Andreas knew.

"There will be music in the dungeons," the wizard had quipped, smiling.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mathias asked him.

In response, Andreas waggled his eyebrows at him.

"Oh," Mathias said, scowling a little.

Mathias didn't like to think about his mum that kind of way. Her shagging and all that. He knew she had sex with the Professor, but it just seemed so wrong they still did it. His mother was so…well…so old for it. And his father…good gods. He was ancient. Mathias idly wondered for a moment if the Potions Master used any potions to help him along. Then the young wizard shuddered.

Enough of that.

Oh well, as long as they were happy that's all that mattered. His mother and father had been together a while now. Mathias suspected they were in love. Especially his father, though the wizard denied it.

"She is here for her safety, Andreas," Mathias said, turning the page of his Arithmancy book with a bit of attitude.

"Oh, I've no doubt about that. Your father will protect her well. He would kill for her, you know," the wizard said. "Such love is between them."

Mathias looked at Andreas.

"You think my father loves my mother?" Mathias said.

"He does. It shows in his aura, but not in the usual way," Andreas replied. "It is not evident in his emotional aura. Your father is so disciplined, he does not allow himself to feel as the rest of us do. It is almost as if he has occlumency on his emotional aura. It shows up in his physical aura though. Your father is a very physical man. He must make your mother quite happy that way."

So that's why Mathias never saw love in Severus' emotional aura. He was looking in the wrong area.

"Is it pink?" Mathias asked Andreas.

The black wizard snorted.

"Do you think anything about your father would ever be pink? No, it is like a deep, red pulse," Andreas answered him.

Hmm. Anything with a red tint was a powerful emotion. Well at least Mathias now knew how his father felt about his mum. He had no doubt how Hermione felt about the Potions Master. He could see it clearly in her eyes when she looked at him sometimes…but still she looked kind of sad too. They probably didn't talk about love much. Witches liked to talk about love.

Maybe when Voldemort was dead, then they could do it. Then his mum could be truly happy.

"He loves you too," Andreas added matter-of-factly, leafing through his parchments. "He'd die for you just as quickly as for your mother."

"Well, we just have to make sure he never has to do that," Mathias said darkly, thinking of the Dark Lord.

"We will," Andreas replied, his face somber.

* * *

The Prophet had reporters on assignment covering the trial, so Rita didn't attend. She had direct access to Hermione, which no one else had, so wasn't worried about missing the story. She reported to the Prophet office to work on her normal column. When she returned to her office, she found piles of posts from readers reacting to her article. Rita had a lot of experience with letters from readers. She never just opened them. She had written too much dirt to take any chances they were from irate and vengeful victims of her pen. 

The reporter sat down at her desk, adjusted her glasses and began to sort through the parchments, her wand drawn. There were a number of howlers in bright red envelopes. These she didn't handle since they were invoked by touch. She simply blasted each one to ash. After she removed the howlers, she began checking each letter with a detector spell designed to reveal if the contents of a letter were dangerous. There were quite a few that were spelled, probably to do something terrible to the witch. She destroyed these also.

She gave the remaining letters the once over with the detector spell and was just about to start reading when there was a knock on her door.

"Who is it?" she called, aiming her wand at the door, her eyes narrowed.

"Mrs. Viola Sludge. I'd like to have a word with you, Miss Skeeter," a deep female voice answered.

"Are you alone?" Rita asked suspiciously.

"Why yes I am," Mrs. Sludge replied. She was a heavy-set, rather jowly woman in a floral print robe and matching pointed witch's hat. She had a blue fabric handbag over her arm.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Rita called, still aiming her wand at the door. It was securely warded, but who knew what was on the other side really?

"Your article in the Prophet," the witch replied genteelly.

Rita was curious.

"I'm going to remove the ward from my door," the witch said, "I want you to reach your wand in and drop it on the floor," Rita said, "Don't come in any further or you will get one hell of a blast."

Mrs. Sludge was silent for a moment.

"I see. Very well then, I will give you my wand," the witch said, scowling a bit at this indignity. But she was instructed to talk to the witch.

"All right, then," Rita said, removing the wards and training her wand on the door, ready to hex. A rather thick, manicured hand reached around the doorframe and dropped a wand on the floor.

"Accio wand!" Rita said quickly, and the wand flew to her. She quickly deposited the wand in her top drawer, then placed a shielding spell around herself, just in case.

"Come in, Mrs. Sludge. Slowly if you please," Rita said.

The door slowly opened and Mrs. Sludge entered. She clasped her hands together and looked at Rita, who was visibly at the ready.

"Have a seat, Mrs. Sludge," Rita said evenly, taking in the witch as she moved to the folding chair in front of Rita's desk. The witch sat down. She didn't look very dangerous, but Rita wasn't taking any chances.

"Now how can I help you?" Rita said, setting her wand down on her desk within hand's reach.

"Well, Miss Skeeter. Firstly I would like to say that was quite an article you wrote in the Prophet," Mrs. Sludge said.

"Thank you," Rita replied, not at all mollified.

"But you seem to have some mistaken ideas about the DKV. We are a benevolent organization and have worked very hard to be taken seriously, Miss Skeeter. Your article has incited riff-raff against us, and we would like to ask you not to please write any more articles about us or this terrible trial," the witch said politely. "We wish to retain our organization's integrity."

Rita's face turned black.

"You are a hate group. How much integrity can you possibly have?" Rita asked the witch incredulously.

"We are not a hate group, Miss Skeeter. We simply promote love, respect and advancement for purebloods. Now that isn't hate is it?" Mrs. Sludge asked the witch.

"It is if you want those things at the expense of others who are not purebloods," Rita replied. "Respect is for everyone, Mrs. Sludge. Muggle-borns included."

"That is a matter of opinion, Miss Skeeter," Mrs. Sludge said evenly, "Anyway, I have been sent to ask you to please desist from writing on the DKV and the trial. We can make it worth your while if it is an income you are seeking. We will pay you three times what your publisher would," the witch said. "We realize you make your living by your writing after all."

Rita narrowed her eyes at the witch.

"Are you attempting to bribe me, Mrs. Sludge?" the reporter asked the witch.

Mrs. Sludge's face contorted distastefully.

"'Bribe' is such an ugly word. How about 'compensate' you for your cooperation?" she replied, smiling.

Rita looked at the DKV representative. Now the reporter wasn't above taking a little something under the table to make a story go away. She'd done it before on quite a few occasions…only to supplement her income, mind you.

"I'm afraid I have a prior commitment, Mrs. Sludge, to the wizarding world. I will not sit by and watch as you turn our society into another Reich," she said evenly. "You've been brainwashed to believe, Mrs. Sludge that the source of all the pureblood's problems are muggle-borns. Any rational person can see that is a ridiculous assumption. If purebloods want to be in positions of power, then they simply have to work toward that goal to accomplish it. Not do it through bigoted reforms and unfair laws. Can't you see that, Mrs. Sludge?" Rita asked the witch.

Mrs. Sludge looked insulted.

"I do not appreciate you arguing my philosophies, Miss Skeeter. I am as entitled to my opinions as you are to yours," the witch said huffily.

"If they were only opinions, that wouldn't be a problem…but the DKV is slowly incorporating those 'opinions" into wizarding society. And they are destroying the fabric of our community," Rita said. "I will not be silent on this issue, Mrs. Sludge. Go tell your cronies at the DKV that."

Mrs. Sludge's eyes narrowed and her "ladies social" demeanor took on a decidedly sinister mien.

"I see, Miss Skeeter. Well, I tried to be reasonable. Some people just don't understand," she said, rising. "My wand please."

Rita looked at the witch. She knew she had just been put on notice. She opened the drawer, took out the wand and stood up.

"I will pass it through the door to you, Mrs. Sludge, when you leave," the witch said. She was still shielded.

Mrs. Sludge nodded curtly, stood and headed for the door.

"I hope, Miss Skeeter that you have the good sense to keep this little discussion to yourself," the witch said, her eyes narrowing.

Rita smirked at her.

"You would hope that, wouldn't you?" she replied.

Mrs. Sludge stared at the blonde, strong-jawed witch for a moment. She really was a piece of work.

"I really wish we could have reached an understanding, Miss Skeeter, for your sake," the witch said opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.

"As far as I am concerned, Mrs. Sludge, we have reached an understanding, and that is Rita Skeeter can't be bought out by the DKV," the reporter replied, passing the wand through the door, then slamming and warding it securely.

Mrs. Sludge stared at the door for a moment, then turned and walked away.

"Stupid, stupid halfblood," she hissed under her breath.

She'd done her best. Now others would have to handle Miss Rita Skeeter.

Rita returned to her desk and pushed all the letters aside. The primary thing on her mind was to hurry and write her column.

The public had a right to know.

* * *

Her column turned in, Rita headed for home. She had raised the hood of her cloak to hide her face and had a shielding spell around herself that could reflect the basic hex, but if an Unforgivable was shot at her…she was a goner. The witch looked around carefully as she headed for the public apparation point. She didn't see anyone who seemed to be watching or following her, but there were a lot of people around. She couldn't be sure. The reporter flinched as a wizard bumped into her. 

"Sorry," he said, continuing on.

Rita tried to still her beating heart. Finally she made it to the apparation point and apparated to her small flat in Shropshire. She looked around but the street in the neat little neighborhood was clear. Quickly she collected the pile of newspapers outside her door and let herself in.

Suddenly she was leaped on by a growling form and knocked back against the door.

"Stop it, Gabby," the witch said in irritation.

The toothy black weredog grinned at his Mistress, took his huge paws off her chest and sat down on his haunches. Rita patted the brute on his head. Gabby looked like a cross between a wolf and a hyena. He had a long neck and humped back, but longer hindquarters than a hyena, and was covered in shaggy black fur. The weredog weighed about two hundred pounds. He also seemed to have too many pointed teeth for his mouth.

She had Gabby since he was a werepup, and although a weredog was an unusual pet, he was a good one, and very protective of Rita. His tail thumped the floor as he looked up at her.

"What a day I've had Gabby. You might have to eat someone," she said to the weredog.

Gabby pricked up his ears at this.

Eat someone? Oh, he could do that all right.

Rita took off her coat and hung it in the foyer closet. She looked down at Gabby who was giving her a big, and rather frightening doggie smile. Of course, it was adorable to Rita, and she patted him again.

"Come on," she said walking toward the kitchen, dropping the papers on the coffee table as she passed through the living room.

Gabby padded after Rita into the kitchen expectantly, sat down and whined as she opened her cooler, took out a rather large brown package and unwrapped it. It was the leg of some animal. It still had hair on it. Rita picked it up gingerly by its cloven hoof and tossed it to Gabby, who snatched it out of midair and began chomping blissfully.

"Goat haunch," Rita said to the beastie as blood gushed out of the haunch. Well, Gabby was good at cleanup. He never left a drop of anything he ate.

Rita then walked over to Gabby's water bowl, emptied it into the sink and gave him fresh water. Gabby had his own huge pet door at the back of the flat, so could go out into the backyard and do his business at will.

Her pet fed and watered, Rita set about fixing her own dinner…a salad with a touch of oil and vinegar. She was dieting. Again. Age was squaring her off and she was desperately trying to retrieve her failing curves. It was an uphill battle. She was seriously considering going to the muggle world and enlisting the aid of someone called a "plastic surgeon" who could supposedly restore any aspect of a woman's body. The procedure was rather barbaric, but permanent, unlike wizarding methods of sprucing a body up. It might be worth it.

Gabby finished his meal, walked over and sat down next to Rita as she consumed her small salad. He sniffed and made a doggie face. Nothing tasty on the table as far as he was concerned.

Rita finished her salad, drank down her bottled water and washed her bowl.

"Now let's see what's in the news, Gabby," the witch said, heading for the living room and turning on a bright magical lamp. She sat down on her sofa and picked up the first paper. Gabby lay down at her feet, his huge head on his paws.

She had picked up the Quibbler. On the front page was a picture of Minister Figglesworth outside the Ministry, ducking as an egg flew past him, his face contorted with terror. Rita laughed herself into conniptions.

She wiped her eyes and read the articles about the trial. Draco was an asshole. He would be lucky if he didn't end up in Azkaban himself after this. But Malfoys were notorious for avoiding incarceration. He'd probably land on his feet despite his bad showing..

Rita continued reading until it was time for bed. She yawned and stretched.

"Time for bed, Gabby," the witch said, walking into her bedroom. Gabby took a quick trot outside to relieve himself then returned, entering Rita's bedroom. The witch looked at him.

"Be on your guard, Gabby. Mum's made a lot of enemies today," she said. "As a matter of fact, I'm going to take a bit of precaution myself."

Rita walked over to the thick curtains that covered her bedroom windows. And transformed.

Gabby sniffed the beetle. It still smelled like Rita so he didn't do anything to it. He was used to her transforming, though she had to train him not to eat her when he was a pup. She transformed with a rolled parchment in her hand, and when the werepup went for her, she would transform back and hit him on the nose with it. He soon learned.

Gabby watched as the beetle laboriously climbed up the curtain until it reached the top and moved into a safe, stationary position and fell still. That's how Rita was going to sleep tonight and every night until this all was over. She'd be safe this way.

Gabby turned around three times, lay down under the window and closed his eyes.

* * *

At about three o'clock in the morning, the front door of Rita's flat clicked. The beetle on the curtain didn't stir, but Gabby opened one eye at the strange sound. Silently he rose and padded out of the bedroom and into the living room. 

Weredog have night vision, and Gabby fought back a growl as he saw a wizard with a long dagger in one hand and a wand in the other moving quietly from the foyer towards him. The weredog's eyes narrowed. He knew what a wand was and what it could do. When there was a wand, that was the first thing to go for.

Gabby crouched behind the sofa, his muscles bunched, waiting for the man to move closer.

"Lumos," the wizard whispered, the tip of his wand lighting up.

He tiptoed past the sofa. Suddenly, he had a strange feeling and looked down to see luminous green eyes staring back at him for a moment, before they flashed forward.

He didn't even have a chance to scream.

The next morning, Aurors were summoned to Rita Skeeter's house to collect the remains of the wizard who had entered her home. All that was left was his head and an arm. Gabby sat by the kitchen door, licking his lips and looking quite proud of himself as the Auror's put the pieces of the wizard into a bag and collected the dagger and wand. Rita stood in her house robe. She had sleepily kicked the head of the wizard as she walked through the living room to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She screamed as Gabby proudly dropped the remaining arm at her feet. He was stuffed, so figured she might want some. Rita didn't.

Several Aurors kept an eye on Gabby, who was grinning at them with all his teeth, presenting quite a frightening image.

"Good gods, who keeps a weredog for a pet?" one Auror said to the others as they studied Gabby.

"Obviously Rita Skeeter does. And good thing too. This wizard was going to kill her, and not with his wand. Probably has something to do with the article she wrote. Well anyway, we've got his head and it's in pretty good shape. We ought to be able to identify him. There's prints on the hand too."

"Damn, I can't believe it ate him," another Auror said, paling as Gabby licked his lips, his yellow eyes resting on the wizards as if thinking about dessert, "Not a bit of blood anywhere."

A collective shudder went through the Aurors as Rita Skeeter walked up to the animal, dropped down and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thanks Gabby. I knew I wasn't crazy when I took you in. Good weredog," she said, hugging him. Gabby let out a whine and licked her face lovingly. "I'm going to see if I can get a zebra haunch delivered for you," she said affectionately.

Gabby's tail thumped the floor and he looked at his Mistress with love.

Nothing and no one would ever harm Rita as long as he was around.

* * *

The next morning, the Daily Prophet was found to contain the following column from Rita Skeeter. Barnabas Cuffe had been appalled at what happened to the witch, and published the article as much for her protection as for public awareness. The editor hoped that it might deter an attempt on the brave reporter's life. 

**WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WIZARDING WORLD  
****_Daily Column by Rita Skeeter  
_  
A Little Visitation from the DKV**

**Yesterday after writing my editorial, I received a visit from a Mrs. Viola Sludge. She had no problem giving me her name. She was a pleasant enough looking woman, well mannered, dressed in a nice floral robe and matching witch's hat. She looked like the type of witch you would meet at a social.**

**Mrs. Sludge told me she would like to speak to me about the editorial and proceeded to inform me that the Dark Knights of Valor, better known as the DKV would appreciate it if I did not write any more articles concerning them or Hermione Granger's trial. She said I had incited riff-raff against the organization and they would like to maintain their "integrity"**

**When I questioned the "integrity" of such an obvious hate group, Mrs. Sludge informed me that the DKV promoted love, respect and advancement for purebloods and that they were a benevolent organization. Mrs. Sludge then offered me monetary compensation three times the amount of my pay per article as an incentive.**

**The witch was quite polite and persuasive. I find myself thinking that's how the DKV initially moved so many people to join…by appearing nice and up front about their motives and purposes, just as Mrs. Sludge was when she tried to buy me out. They make it sound oh so reasonable. Oh so right. As if you would be a fool to pass on the offer.**

**Well I did pass on it. And I told her that she had been brainwashed into believing Muggle-borns are the source of all pureblood problems in the wizarding world. Any truly rational person could see the fallacy in that belief. There are difficulties in every life, and they happen regardless who exists in our world. If purebloods want to be in positions of authority, they don't need bigoted reforms and unfair laws. They simply need to work at it, like everyone else.**

**Needless to say I insulted her by challenging her philosophy…her opinion. Oh, my readers if only the DKV line remained in the realm of opinion there would be no Hermione Granger trial occurring at this very moment. No sit-ins outside of shops guilty of discrimination. But it is not in the realm of opinion…it is in the realm of our society now, poisoning us and destroying our tradition of acceptance.**

**When I declined to play along with the DKV, that lovely woman, Mrs. Sludge became instantly threatening, although the threat was implied when she said she hoped I had the good sense to keep our discussion confidential.**

**Well, guess what Mrs. Sludge (a very fitting name by the way)…I didn't keep it confidential. I want the entire wizarding world to know that I refused to be bought out by the DKV, and what's more, the organization's attempt to silence me.**

**Dear readers, I don't know if there will be other attempts to quell the voice of Rita Skeeter, but if I am to suddenly go silent, be assured it could only be foul play. To say I am not afraid would be an exaggeration of the facts, but I am equally afraid of what will happen to our society if no one speaks out.**

**In the words of the muggle known as Helen Keller, a young woman who had to overcome great odds to live, much less become a pillar of strength and symbol of hope for others, I find comfort, strength and the will to continue. And these are those words.**

**"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold."**

**And be assured, dear readers, in the face of whatever dangers may be in store for me…I will continue to be bold.**

**Rita Skeeter  
Daily Prophet Columnist  
**

* * *

Readers also found this little gem on the front page of the Prophet. It had been hurriedly added before the morning edition went out. 

**Vigilant Pet Saves Columnist Rita Skeeter's Life**

_**At approximately three o'clock AM this morning, an intruder entered the premises of reporter Rita Skeeter armed with a dagger and a wand, only to be killed and partially consumed by the reporter's weredog and companion Gabby, thus saving the witch's life. It is the opinion of the Aurors investigating the scene that the intruder intended on murdering the controversial reporter who has been deemed "the Voice of Conscience" for the wizarding world. The intruder's remains revealed that he was imprinted with the Dark Mark, a symbol of the infamous organization, the Dark Knights of Valor. Investigation is continuing to find out the identity of the intruder. Miss Skeeter was left unharmed.**_

* * *

Voldemort's red eyes glistened as he sat on his throne and read both Prophet articles. He let out a roar, flinging the paper away from him, then blasting it to flaming bits with his wand. The expression on his scaly face was terrible. 

All around him, his loyal followers were failing him.

Something had to be done.

* * *

Draco was just about to apparate to the Ministry when his Mark began to burn. The wizard grasped his arm, hissing. 

"No," the wizard said, his heart going cold with fear. "No…not now…not today."

The pain unbearable, Draco disapparated.

He appeared in the Dark Lord's throne room and fell to his knees before the throne, his eyes lowered to the floor

"Have mercy, my Lord!" he cried out to Voldemort, "Have mercy and I will make this up to you. Please my Lord!"

Voldemort sat with his chin in his hand watching the wizard grovel and fawn before him with a bored expression. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Get up Draco and get over here," the Dark Lord said with aggravation.

"Yes, my Lord," Draco whimpered, standing up and shuffling toward the throne.

"Look at me you idiot. I'm not going to punish you yet," the wizard hissed at him.

Draco lifted his head and stared at his Lord and Master.

"You aren't?" he asked the Dark Lord.

Voldemort felt like crucioing the wizard, but Draco had to be at court in a few minutes, and the Dark Lord had an errand for the wizard to do.

"I summoned you here because I want you to deliver a package by owl post," the despot said, smirking a bit.

"Yes, my Lord. A package," Draco repeated, nodding.

* * *

The clerk at the owl posting office was surprised to see Lord Draco Malfoy himself arrive with a package to be delivered. Usually there were go-fers for that. 

"My Lord," the clerk said, bowing to the wizard.

Draco placed a tightly bound package on the counter.

"I want this delivered to the Daily Prophet, care of Rita Skeeter. Immediately," the wizard said, scowling at the clerk.

"Do you want insurance on it, sir?" the clerk asked.

"No. Just deliver the damn thing now," Draco hissed.

The clerk took the package and carefully weighed it, Draco drumming impatiently on the counter. He looked around the office…it was early and there were no other customers yet.

"That will be eight knuts, sir," the clerk said, holding out his hand for payment.

Draco flipped a galleon at him.

"Here. Keep the change. Now deliver it," the wizard said, his nostrils flaring.

The clerk selected a sturdy looking owl, tied the package to its leg, told it where to go and opened a window. The owl flew out of it, flapping strongly. The clerk closed the window and turned back to Draco smiling.

"There you go my…" the clerk stopped speaking as he looked cross-eyed at the tip of Draco's wand pointing between his eyes.

"Obliviate!" Draco hissed.

The wizard disapparated, leaving the stunned clerk standing at the counter.

He only had five minutes left to get to the Ministry.

* * *

Cronnie arrived in court dressed in a bright orange robe with blue stars. He had a very predatory look on his face as he slid in next to Hermione. 

"Good morning, my dear," he smiled at her. He noticed the witch looked very tired.

"Good morning, Mr. Jockrin…I just want to thank you for continuing to…" Hermione began.

Cronnie waved his hand at her dismissively.

"No worries and no thanks necessary, Miss Granger. I haven't enjoyed myself in court this much in years," the lawyer replied, smiling at her. Then a bit of concern showed in his gray eyes.

"You look tired, Miss Granger. Didn't you sleep well?" the wizard asked.

Hermione blinked at him.

No, she hadn't. Severus came home from his meeting with Cronnie absolutely elated, and celebrated in his favorite way…shagging Hermione into conniptions. The wizard was on her for most of the night, grinning maniacally, refusing to tell her why he was so…well…happy.

"You'll see," he grunted, kissing her deeply.

"No I didn't. It was a long night," the witch said.

Cronnie opened up his briefcase and took out a small flask.

"Drink this," he said, handing it to Hermione.

Hermione eyed the flask. Was he offering her firewhiskey first thing in the morning?

"What is it?" she asked the wizard.

"Pepper-up potion. I always carry a bit with me," he replied.

Hermione uncapped the bottle and drank the contents of the flask. She felt better immediately.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome. I don't want you to miss a bit of today," the wizard said.

Draco hurried in and got to his seat just before the Auror came out to announce the Council's entrance. He was already standing as the rest of the audience rose.

The Council members filed in. Every one of them looked as if they could use a good night's sleep. The members were constantly being harassed by reporters and telling them they couldn't comment until the end of the trial…buying themselves some time.

Everyone sat back down, looking at the Minister expectantly.

"I call the room to order," Minister Figglesworth said tiredly, "This trial has reconvened. Do you have any more 'witnesses' to call, Lord Malfoy?"

Draco stood up. He had thought about calling Hermione to the stand, but decided against it. Everyone already knew what the witch had done, and she was quite clever. He might find himself in a verbal sparring match that would do more damage than good.

"No. The prosecution rests, sir," Draco replied.

"Thank the gods," Minister Figglesworth breathed. Then he looked at Cronnie.

"Defense? Are you ready to call your first witness?" he asked the lawyer.

Cronnie stood up dramatically.

"That I am, sir. For my first witness I call…Professor Cuthbert Binns," the wizard said.

Hermione stared at Cronnie Jockrin with wide amber eyes. Professor Binns? Good gods and gravy.

The people in attendance looked all around the courtroom for Cronnie's witness, but no one came forward.

"Mr. Jockrin, is your witness present?" Figglesworth inquired.

"In a manner of speaking…yes," the lawyer replied.

Suddenly a low rather wheezy moan sounded through the chambers and a pearly white, semi-transparent form drifted down through the Ministry ceiling, up the center aisle and through the witness box. It turned and settled in the chair, somewhat. He bobbled a bit.

The Auror looked at Cronnie, stymied.

"Well man, swear him in!" Cronnie said as the Auror stared at the ghost, then did so.

Professor Binns was the only ghost teacher in Hogwarts. He was ancient and somewhat shriveled, but that had been his condition when he died. Binns was so old that when he went to teach class one morning, he left his body behind. He continued teaching just the same.

Draco jumped up.

"What's the meaning of this? You have a ghost for a witness?" he demanded of Cronnie.

"You do have eyes don't you Lord Malfoy?" Cronnie responded rather snarkily.

"Yes, I have eyes but I don't have patience for your theatrics, sir!" Draco responded angrily. "What possible bearing could this…this…ghost have on this case? He's been dead for years and never leaves Hogwarts."

"I wouldn't necessarily say that, Lord Malfoy, he is in this courtroom now, isn't he?" Cronnie replied coolly.

Draco turned red and looked up at the Minister.

"Minister Figglesworth, surely you aren't going to allow this!" Draco said, frowning.

The Minister looked at Cronnie.

"Mr. Jockrin, do you mind sharing with the Council and the jury just why you have a ghost here for a witness?" the Minister asked him.

"Certainly. When Lord Malfoy introduced his witness Delores Umbridge here, the woman began spouting the DKV line, thus bringing it into the legal arena. Miss Umbridge stated loosely that muggle-borns should not be among us and regulated to the lowest social strata of society. That belief is the true basis as to why we are in court trying Miss Granger today. I believe we need to explore that belief, and the history thereof. What better way to do it than with an expert on the subject? That is why Professor Binns is here, sir."

Figglesworth nodded.

"Very well, Mr. Jockrin…you may continue," the Minister said.

"We're supposed to be having a trial…instead we're having a history lesson," Draco grumbled, sitting down.

Cronnie walked up to the witness stand and address Professor Binns, who had been bobbing in place, patiently listening to the arguments about him.

"Please state your name for the jury and Council," he said politely to the ghost.

Professor Binns turned his pearly white eyes on the jury, who shuddered just a little. Not everyone was used to seeing ghosts.

"Professor Cuthbert Binns," he said in a dry, reedy, wheezy, droning voice. It sounded a bit like a muggle vacuum cleaner.

"And your position, sir?" Cronnie asked him.

"I am a Professor at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and teach the History of Magic," the ghost replied.

"Thank you. Now Professor Binns, I'd like to get right down to it. What do you think when you hear that muggle-borns do not belong in the wizarding world?" the lawyer asked.

The ghost considered.

"I think it is rot and balderdash sir," the ghost replied.

"I object! Who cares what a ghost thinks? He's not even part of this world anymore!" Draco argued.

Professor Binns turned cold eyes on the prosecutor and seemed to scowl slightly.

"If I could continue, Lord Malfoy, I think you will see why his answer is relevant," Cronnie said evenly.

Minister Figglesworth nodded.

"Overruled, Draco. Sit down and let the man continue," the Minister said.

Draco sat down, clearly in a temper.

"Professor Binns, do you make that statement based on your personal feelings?" Cronnie asked him.

"I certainly do not, sir. I am a historian. My comments are based on facts, not myths, legends or personal feelings. The idea that muggle-borns do not belong in the magical world is a myth sir, as is the idea of 'pureblood bloodlines.' There is no such being as a pureblood."

A gasp went up from the audience, partially because of the ghost's statement, and partially because the oath did not prevent the ghost from making the statement. Still Draco stood up.

"That is ridiculous. I myself come from a long line of purebloods," Draco stated directly to the ghost.

Professor Binns shook his head.

"Every wizard or witch in existence can be traced back to a muggle-born. All magical humans were conceived by non-magical humans," the ghost said. "The first witches and wizards were muggle-born, plain and simple. They were greatly feared by non-magical humans and at first put to death. Then the parents began to hide their children's powers and more and more were born. The creation of witches and wizards was a kind of deviation in the evolution of the human race. Eventually the witches and wizards stood together and formed their own group, which were tormented by muggles for years until they found a way to separate themselves. And like every new civilization, they rewrote history to suit themselves, propagating a master race of pureblood witches and wizards from which all else sprang. They sought to destroy all references to their muggle roots, but a few tomes remain that tell the truth of it," the ghost said confidently. "I can produce the texts if you wish."

Draco was red in the face, as were many members of the audience and all of the Council members.

"I don't think that will be necessary, Professor," Cronnie said to the ghost. "Are you familiar with the Dark Knights of Valor, also known as the DKV, the organization that promotes pureblood superiority over muggle-borns?"

The ghost nodded.

"I am sir. History is made every day, and as a dedicated historian, I record and follow the trends of today's society as well as those of yesterday's," the ghost replied.

Hermione looked on in awe. She never thought Professor Binns was aware of anything outside of his history classroom. And he certainly wasn't droning now. Everyone in the chambers was wide-awake and attentive to his every word. And clearly the ghost was enjoying sharing his knowledge much more than when he was in the classroom.

"What is your opinion of the DKV?" Cronnie asked the professor.

"The DKV is a precursor to a new societal Order that will be based on suppression, aggression and segregation, that will most likely come into power through violence and civil war. The DKV follows tenets that are untrue and have no foundation in fact at all, and is propaganda-based. The organization is attempting to rewrite history and adapt the facts by reform and legal action to fit the fiction. In essence, the DKV is reworking the world to suit their precepts and will suppress any truth that says otherwise. History is repeating itself. Just as the witches and wizards of old perpetrated the myth, the DKV is doing it now.

"As proof of this statement, they have pushed through legislation to remove history texts from our schools, libraries and private collections in an attempt to cover up the atrocities of the despot they follow, Mr. Tom Riddle, claiming conspiracies and lies are the reason he is in exile, rather than the truth that he has murdered countless innocents in his mad attempt to destroy the wizarding world as we know it and rebuild it to reflect his twisted ideals. The fact that Mr. Riddle himself is half-muggle and is followed by those claiming to be proud purebloods against muggle-borns shows the sheer folly of the organization's charter and by-laws. By rights it should be disbanded by its own bigoted membership."

Cronnie let out a low whistle, and the court was completely silent.

"And what do you think of their illustrious leader, Lord Voldemort?" Cronnie asked them.

"Tom Riddle will bring about the complete destruction of the wizarding world. He will lead it into a state of debauchery that has only been equaled by muggle kings of old. Our society and culture will be splintered and eventually lost forever if the current trend is allowed to continue unhindered. I do not say this because of my personal feelings, but because history shows us that civilizations that fall under the type of leadership Tom Riddle propagates all end up the same way. Destroyed."

"Professor Binns, are you familiar with the case of Miss Hermione Granger?"

"Yes I am. It is recent history after all," the ghost replied, looking at Hermione and smirking.

"What is your opinion of her situation?" Cronnie asked him.

"That she has been targeted because of her position of authority as part of the growing trend of muggle-born suppression. If Miss Granger was successfully removed without incident or repercussions, then the DKV could consider its reforms a success and put it into broader play. It is most unfortunate for the organization that it chose a sleeping lioness to rub the wrong way. History shows that it is the ones who do their best to keep an open mind in the face of adversity who are most likely to incite change when they are constantly wronged. The Ministry got away with passing Miss Granger over for the Spells Department Head position. Had they left her alone, the DKV would not be crumbling today," Professor Binns replied.

"Do you think, Professor, that Miss Granger should be punished for her actions?" Professor Binns said.

The ghost shook his head.

"No. I believe she should be commended. By that single act of outrage, she has laid an entire evil organization bare that was nearly impenetrable up to that point in time. I believe the history books will remember Miss Hermione Granger…as a heroine."

Cronnie nodded.

"Thank you, Professor Binns," Cronnie said. He looked at Draco. "Prosecution's witness."

Cronnie returned to the seat as Draco looked at the ghost wearily.

"I have no questions, Professor, you may step…or float down…or whatever it is you do," the wizard said. He knew he couldn't argue with facts.

Professor Binns floated through the witness box, down the center aisle and up through the ceiling.

Draco stood up.

"I move for a short recess," the wizard said.

Figglesworth looked at Cronnie, who nodded assent.

"This court is in recess. We will reconvene in one hour," Minister Figglesworth said.

They all stood as the Council left the chamber.

Hermione still looked awed.

"Who would have believed Professor Binns could be so authorative? He was…was wonderful!" she said to Cronnie. "And so up on what was happening in the wizarding world."

"He has nothing else to do but follow history in the making," Cronnie said, "He has an eternity behind him and has accomplished much today. No doubt he will be in the history books as well," Cronnie said.

"I know he shook up a lot of DKV members," Hermione said, looking around the courtroom.

Indeed, some of the witches and wizards were looking distinctly uncomfortable and unsure, staring uncertainly at their marks and each other. Professor Binns had not been speaking from a personal standpoint, but a historical one. He had no reason to come down on the DKV, no agenda of his own. He simply put out the facts and his conclusions based on them. It was disturbing to say the least.

"Who are you calling next?" Hermione asked.

"Actually, I have only one more witness. A kind of surprise witness. I'm not putting you on the stand. There's no reason for it," he said, giving her a wicked little grin.

"Can't you tell me who?" Hermione cajoled him, making a good attempt at puppy dog eyes.

It didn't work.

"No. Like the rest of those in attendance here, you will have to wait my dear. But it will be glorious," he assured her, his gray eyes twinkling.

* * *

Leave it to Rita not to let a little thing like a strange man being eaten in her flat stop her from coming into work and writing her daily column. She planned to stop in on Hermione later in the day and see how things were going with the trial and if there was anything she wanted to share. Again the witch had made Rita look good. The first time was when Rita wrote Harry's article and now this. As irritating as the little chit was, and make no mistake…Rita was still pissed at Hermione on a number of levels, she always managed to come out on top and bring people with her. 

Rita walked into her office and found another pile of letters from readers and a package. She sat down at her desk and eyed it, taking out her wand to do a detector spell on it.

"What's this? A bomb?" she mused as she pointed her wand at it.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light that blinded the witch, and she felt her throat and wand hand gripped powerfully. The hold on her wrist tightened unbearably and she dropped her wand. The witch gasped for air as her vision cleared.

Her eyes went wide with horror.

"No, my little wordsmith…it's not a bomb. It's something much, much worse," a high-pitched voice purred at her.

"Now, let's see if _**I **_can make you see reason," Voldemort said darkly, tightening his grip on the reporter's throat as he warded the door and cast a silencing spell over her office.

* * *

A/N: And that is the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 9." More ahead. 


	10. Daddy Dearest Part 10

**Daddy Dearest Part 10**

An hour later, court reconvened. Hermione watched as the Council filed in, but noticed they seemed to be upset. A very solemn Minister Figglesworth stood up.

"Before we resume this trial, it is with great sadness I must inform you that reporter Rita Skeeter has been found dead in her office at the Daily Prophet. Aurors are now on their way to investigate the scene. Initial findings suggest it was foul play," the Minister said.

Gasps went up around the chambers, then quiet sobbing began.

Rita Skeeter, the Voice of Conscience had been silenced, quickly and permanently.

Hermione sat quietly next to Cronnie, her amber eyes glistening. Rita had stepped up to the plate and paid the ultimate price for it. Cronnie's gray eyes were sober and cold. He looked over at Draco, who evidenced no emotion at all about the news. He simply looked at the Council stoically.

Better Rita than him.

Outside the Ministry, the picketing crowd went silent on both sides as Rita Skeeter's death was announced. Cries of anguish rose from the anti-DKV side, while the DKV members all were shocked and silent. They had read her article this morning about the visitation of Mrs. Sludge. She was a prominent member, and it had not been taken well that she attempted to bribe the witch. The DKV should have been able to weather the storm if the organization was as righteous and strong as it claimed to be. Doubt was moving strongly through the ranks. Something sinister was happening in the organization…something worse than mere bigotry and the removal of muggle-borns from positions of authority. Someone who had spoken out against them had been murdered.

A cry went up from the anti-DKV side.

"Murderers!" a witch screamed at the top of her voice.

Suddenly, the entire anti-DKV group as a whole lunged at the barricade, bursting through it, some people being trampled as the enraged mob closed over the ranks of the DKV and began fighting. Aurors burst out of the Ministry, firing binding spells at the grappling crowd and trying to separate the witches and wizards.

Children were screaming and crying, separated from their parents and being buffeted about by the fighting adults. It was all mayhem and madness as rage at the reporter's death ran rampant through the crowd. And the DKV was getting the worst of it.

Justice Forall burst into the Council chambers

"Council members, we have to move you to safety! The protestors are rioting outside! Please leave the chambers!" he shouted at them.

"This trial will resume tomorrow at nine AM," the Minister said hurriedly, following the other Council members out of the chambers and into a secret, heavily warded room created for such emergencies.

"Hey, what about us?" a voice cried out from the audience.

"The rest of you, stay here. No one is allowed to leave," Justice said. He exited the chambers and warded the doors securely.

Hermione looked at Cronnie with frightened eyes.

"It's because of Rita," she breathed.

Cronnie nodded.

"Miss Skeeter's death just cinched it, Miss Granger. The DKV is officially dead," the wizard said. "At least as we know it. A few hardcore members will go underground, but the majority will want to remove themselves from any association with the organization. Rita wrote her own eulogy this morning. The poor, poor witch."

Hermione hung her head. She was the one who got Rita involved in this. But Rita knew the risk…and knew she was targeted. As much as Hermione irritated the reporter, Rita wouldn't have blamed her for her death.

But Hermione didn't know that as the tears fell from her eyes.

* * *

The Aurors stepped carefully around the crime scene, a chalk outline surrounding Rita's twisted and broken body. Whoever had done the witch in, did it with extreme violence. The killing blow was her Quick-quotes quill stabbed into her jugular. Blood had spurted everywhere. 

The reporter's body was discovered by a mousy little clerk who came to deliver the list of freelance articles available. The door opened easily, and the little witch screamed as she saw Rita sprawled on her back on the floor, bruised and battered, her limbs twisted awkwardly, and the quill stuck in her neck, blood still dripping slowing from the mortal wound.

Barnabas Cuffe stood in the doorway, sickened. Rita was just starting to come into her own as a reporter to be taken seriously after all her years of writing trash. Such a terrible way to die.

No one noticed the small roach hugging the wall. It waved its feelers about, then crept outside and climbed up the wall to avoid the crush of feet as people stood in the hallways, shaking their heads in disbelief. When the bug reached a relatively clear area, it transformed into a piece of parchment and floated down the hallway, tumbling as if carried by a low breeze.

It made it to the stairs, when someone picked it up, crumpled it and threw it into a waste bin.

"Damn it," Voldemort cursed, then transformed back into the roach, crawled out of the bin and to the stairwell.

He narrowly avoided getting crushed by several passing Aurors and employees. He turned back into the parchment, a crumpled ball this time and bounced down the stairs. He was almost out of the building. Neither visitors nor employees could apparate into or out of the Daily Prophet offices, and had to enter through the lobby the muggle way. Voldemort rolled to the glass doors and slipped out when someone exited the building. Once in the grass, he transformed into a small snake and slithered away until he found a secluded area behind the building. He transformed quickly back to wizard form and disapparated to his throne room.

The sound of apparation brought Aurors running from every direction, but they found nothing. Voldemort always kept his signature hidden.

The wizard returned to his throne room satisfied with his work. The witch had suffered greatly before she died, but she would not call him Lord. That irked him and he beat her viciously to no avail. Finally, he killed her with her damnable Quick-quotes quill.

Goodbye Miss Skeeter.

One down. A world to go.

Voldemort had plans to make. He had an entire disposable army to work with. All he needed was a contingency plan to place himself in power. It was time for a coup.

Taking Hogwarts would be the biggest problem.

Well, he would work on that little problem. Draco was an idiot, but he was a good idea man when he wasn't pissing on himself with fear.

He'd keep him around a while.

And as for Draco's daughter…well…he thought he'd like to get at the witch a bit sooner now. He would be quite busy later on, and he could take out his displeasure with her father on her supple little body. She was quite a lovely little witch. He'd love destroying her innocence.

Yes. That idea appealed to him.

* * *

A contingent of Aurors was at Rita Skeeter's house, trying to get in to see if there were any new clues to be found, having been there earlier that day...but Gabby wasn't having any of it. The weredog stood in front of the foyer, growling viciously. He felt something was very wrong…something with his Mistress. These people weren't going to enter her territory without a fight. 

"We're going to have to kill it," said one Auror, leveling his wand at the animal.

Tonks stepped forward.

"No. No, wait…don't do that yet, Justin. Let me see if I can reach him," Tonks said.

Gabby's yellow eyes were fixed on the wand the Auror had pointed at him, and watched as the female pressed it down, lowering it. She turned to the weredog.

"Gabby, I'm not sure if you are just a pet, or a familiar…but Rita isn't coming back," the witch said in a soft, soothing voice. The weredog recognized the sound of kindness and stopped snarling. There was something sad in the voice too. The weredog whined.

"You have to let us in, Gabby…or they are going to kill you," Tonks said softly.

The weredog realized the witch wasn't an enemy or a threat. He backed up and sat on his haunches.

Tonks advanced slowly into the house.

"You better take out your wand, Tonks. That thing ate a wizard," Justin said, frowning at the animal. He thought it should be put down even though it killed the wizard in defense of its owner.

"No. Gabby knows wands can hurt him. It would put him on the defensive," Tonks said, moving carefully but confidently.

Gabby let Tonks enter, then slunk over to the corner and laid down, placing his head on his paws, and looking very sad. So many people in his Mistress' flat was bad. Normally she would be here too. But she wasn't. Gabby suddenly felt very alone.

The Aurors entered the flat. Other than twitching his ear, Gabby did nothing.

Justin looked at the beast, then at Tonks who stood looking at the weredog too.

"We should put him down. No one's going to adopt a beast like that…he's terrifying," the Auror said.

"I bet he's hungry," Tonks said.

"I doubt it. He just had almost a whole wizard," Justin said.

Tonks looked at the weredog.

"Gabby, are you hungry?" she asked him.

Gabby recognized two words in that sentence. Gabby and Hungry. He stood up.

"Come on, boy," Tonks said, walking through the living room and into the kitchen. Gabby recognized that command too, although it was a different voice. The kind female walked into the kitchen, so he followed her.

Tonks walked over to the cooler and opened it. She found makings for salad, bottled water and a very large brown package. One end was bloody.

"I guess this is yours, Gabby," she said to the weredog, who was sitting on his haunches, looking up at the Auror expectantly.

"I wonder what it is?" Tonks mused, taking the package out of the cooler and setting it on the counter. It was tied securely and marked "Special Order."

"Rita pampered you, didn't she?" she asked the weredog. Gabby thumped his tail.

Tonks untied the package and her nose wrinkled up.

"Ugh! This is what you eat?" she said, frowning at the weredog who was on his feet now, stepping side to side in anticipation.

Tonks gingerly picked the zebra haunch up by the hoof and flung it at Gabby, who snatched it out of mid-air and went to work on it. Tonks watched the weredog devour the zebra haunch, ripping through the flesh and cracking the great thighbone easily. She could only imagine how he wolfed down that wizard.

Justine was right. No one would adopt a weredog that had eaten a wizard…no matter how noble the deed was. As far as everyone was concerned, Gabby was a man-eater.

Tonks looked at the weredog consideringly.

She decided to contact Albus.

* * *

Back at Hogwarts, Andreas was reading an assignment in Potions, when suddenly he was hit with a great pain in his head. The wizard dropped his face in his hands, his eyes tightly closed. Then he stiffened and stayed that way for several minutes. Finally he raised his head…his eyes haunted. 

"We don't have much more time," he breathed. "Things have changed…both for the better and for the worse."

He looked up at Professor Snape, who was grading papers. The wizard hated to be disturbed when grading papers. He didn't care who it was.

Andreas stared at the wizard so intently, Severus' quill slowed and finally he looked up to see the boy staring at him intently.

"Do you need something, Mr. Mbutu?" he asked with irritation in his voice, "There must be some reason you are trying to stare a hole through me."

"Yes sir. I need to talk to you sir. Now sir," Andreas answered him hesitatingly. You didn't tell the Potions Master to do anything "now."

Severus scowled at him blackly, but the boy looked so intense and was acting so out of character, that he rose from his desk. The class looked up.

"Keep reading," Severus hissed.

Every head dropped back to their books.

"Come with me, Mr. Mbutu," the Potions Master said, striding to the back of the class and out the door into his office. Andreas followed him.

Severus turned and leaned back on his desk, folding his arms and resting his eyes on the wizard.

"Now what is it, Andreas?" he asked informally.

"It has all changed, Professor. Everything. The Dark Lord is going to start his war very soon. We must stop him before that happens," Andreas said.

Severus looked at the boy. Yes, things had changed enough were Voldemort might feel he had to act soon and quickly. The DKV may be crumbling, but he still had his mark on over one hundred thousand people. People he could turn into killing machines.

"When?" he hissed at Andreas.

"By the New Year," Andreas responded.

That was four months away.

"New Order…New Year," Andreas said in a rather hollow voice, his eyes glazing.

"I will inform Albus. He will probably want a pensieve of the vision from you," Severus said to the wizard.

Andreas nodded.

"Do you feel well enough to return to class?" the Potions Master said, concern in his voice. He had come to care about the young wizard very much in the past year, though he hid it. But Andreas knew the Potions Master worried over him.

"I'm fine, sir. I can read a book," Andreas replied.

Severus smirked at him.

"Return to class then, Andreas…thank you," Severus said.

Andreas walked back into the class, followed by the Potions Master, who returned to his desk. He hadn't yet heard about the death of Rita Skeeter.

Hermione would be sure to let him know.

As Andreas sat down at his desk, his dark eyes were still worried. He had seen something else too. Something about Jasmine.

She didn't have much time either.

Voldemort would take her just before he started his war.

* * *

Andreas wasted no time telling Mathias about the change in his vision and how Voldemort was going to start his war by the New Year. Mathias realized that his own vision about his mother and father most likely had altered too, then. Probably the Dark Lord wouldn't kill them now…he had bigger things on his mind. But still it didn't make Mathias want to kill him any less. If he took over the wizarding world, they were all finished. 

"We have to make a plan, Andreas. We have to find a way to get to him before the New Year," Mathias said.

"I've already informed your father, who is telling the Headmaster. Probably he will formulate a plan using the Order," Andreas said.

"The Order hasn't been able to do anything to Voldemort for years," Mathias said, frowning. "We need our own plan."

He plopped down on Andreas' bed.

"Help me think!" Mathias seethed at his brother.

Andreas sat down next to him, his brow furrowed in thought.

Gods, they didn't have much time at all.

* * *

Jasmine arrived at the Young DKV meeting as usual, and found the room designated for their meeting empty except for Franklin, who was sitting at the head table broodingly. He looked up as she entered. Jasmine looked around. 

"Where is everyone?" she asked Franklin.

"Quit," he muttered, "They all quit. They said they didn't want to be members anymore. It's just you and me now, Jasmine."

Franklin looked at her hopefully…then his face fell as she shook her head slowly.

"No, Franklin…I'm out too. I've always been out. I only rejoined because of my father. You can't have a club with just two members. The DKV was wrong," the witch said.

"I don't understand it. We purebloods are the best…how did we fail? What do we do now?" he asked her rather brokenly.

"We live like everyone else lives, Franklin. Your goal shouldn't be to be better than everyone else. Your goal should be to become the best YOU can be. That's all you need to do," Jasmine said, walking toward the exit.

Franklin's eyes followed Jasmine as she left the room. He started to follow her, then stopped, sat back down and dropped his head into his hands.

It was really over.

* * *

Tonks, dressed in a black robe and her hair spiked and spelled in black and white checks, walked down Hogwarts dungeon corridor. She had come to retrieve the boys for their training since Severus was busy 'protecting' Hermione. 

Tonks snorted.

"Protecting her, eh? Bet he's using his 'sword," she muttered.

She caught up to some Slytherins walking ahead of her.

"Hey. You know Mathias Snape and Andreas Mbutu?" she asked the sixth-year boy who stared at the spiky-haired witch for a moment.

"Yes," he responded shortly.

"Can you tell them that Tonks is here to get them?" the Auror asked.

The Slytherin nodded as he continued to look at the witch. She was very pretty. What did she want with Mathias and Andreas? Where the boys went during the week with Professor Snape was an ongoing mystery. Now a witch was here to take them away. Very interesting.

"I'll get them," the boy said. "You wait here."

Tonks smirked at the Slytherin's command. They were all bossy like that it seemed.

"Right here," she said, stopping as the boy walked forward and hid the movements that opened the wall to the common room entrance. He disappeared.

After about fifteen minutes, the wall opened and Mathias and Andreas walked out, dressed in their workout clothes.

"We didn't think we'd be going tonight, Tonks," Mathias said, falling into step with the Auror as she quickly walked back up the corridor.

"Well, that's what you get for thinking," she replied, "You two aren't going to skive off on your training just because your dad is babysitting your mum. Things are getting hairy in the wizarding world. We might have to induct you two into the Order."

"But you have to be at least eighteen to join the Order," Mathias said. "Plus you know I'm supposed to take the Mark, Tonks."

"I don't think your taking the Mark is going to be that important Mathias. Voldemort has all the marked people he needs to start a war," the witch replied as they entered the main hall and headed for the doors that led to the Hogwarts grounds

"He wants Mathias for his inner circle though, Tonks…not the DKV," Andreas said as Tonks pushed open the doors. He and Mathias followed her.

"Oh yeah, there is that. He might still want you after all, Mathias. You'll just have to be a spy like your dad then," the witch said.

"A spy?" Mathias mouthed at Andreas, grinning.

Andreas nodded enthusiastically.

"But then again," Tonks said thoughtfully, "You were to take the Mark at eighteen. He doesn't take deatheaters younger than that. Something about the oath of fealty. It doesn't take until then. It's a hard oath to break. Severus went through hell when Albus had to take it off him years ago."

So…most likely Mathias wouldn't have to join the Dark Lord's ranks. That was good.

Tonks unwarded the gates, let the boys through, then warded it back. She placed an arm around each of their shoulders.

"Let's go," she said, disapparating with them.

* * *

When they entered twelve Grimauld Place, both boys froze in place as a huge weredog bounded up to Tonks and jumped on her, knocking the Auror back a few feet. 

"Down Gabby!" Tonks said smiling as the weredog licked her liberally.

Gabby sat down in front of her, his tail thumping. Then his yellow eyes turned toward the two wizards.

"Gabby?" Mathias asked as he studied the huge animal.

"Yes, Gabby. He was Rita Skeeter's pet. Albus let me bring him here. He's a member of the Order now. Our mascot. His claim to fame is that he eats deatheaters," Tonks said, ruffling Gabby's great furry head.

"He looks like he could eat a lot more than deatheaters. He's huge," Mathias said.

Andreas stared at the weredog. Gabby's yellow eyes met his evenly.

"Hello little brother," Andreas said to the weredog softly.

Gabby's tail thumped and he made a noise in his throat at Andreas, whose forehead wrinkled slightly. He made a noise back at the beast. Suddenly, Gabby let out a long, mournful, and hair-raising howl, then walked over and bumped his head against Andreas' knees.

Tonks and Mathias looked at each other, then at Andreas, who dropped and petted the weredog gently.

"He asked me why he was here. I let him know his Mistress is dead and this is his new home now," Andreas said, still petting the weredog.

Mathias looked at Andreas.

"You can talk to animals? You never told me that," Mathias said to him.

"You never asked me. Besides, I can't talk to all animals…only those who have lived with people," the black wizard replied straightening.

Tonks looked at Andreas speculatively.

"That isn't ordinary magic," she said, cocking her head at the wizard.

"No," Andreas admitted, "It is the power of my people. Different magic."

Tonks looked at Gabby who had sat down next to Andreas.

"That could come in handy," she said, "If you became an Auror, you could interrogate people's pets and familiars for information. You should think about it."

Andreas nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go easy on you blokes tonight. You can have free run of the ROR. I have some paperwork I have to finish. Just make sure you do your workouts first," Tonks said.

Mathias and Andreas looked at each other grinning. That's exactly what they needed to work on formulating a plan. They looked at Tonks expectantly.

"Well go on! I can see you're both dying to get down there," she said, waving her hand at them. The boys took off for the cellar door that led to the ROR, Gabby bounding after them.

Tonks watched the three disappear down the stairs. The weredog seemed to take an instant liking to the boys. She wondered what other talents Andreas had.

He would make quite an Auror.

* * *

Andreas and Mathias stood in the simulation of Voldemort's throne room. They left the weredog standing guard outside. He might have wanted to get in on the action. The blue gem was on the pedestal and Voldemort was sitting in his throne waiting for the simulation to start. The boys had developed a strategy to get the jewel every time now, though the deatheaters were much tougher. The first thing they would do was to cast a dampening spell to weaken the golems' and their own ability to do magic…then they would fight physically, always concentrating on getting the gem and escaping. They were successful most of the time. 

Andreas looked around the room frowning.

"This scenario is good training, but most likely we won't be in a position like this," the black wizard said thoughtfully. "We need the room to generate something else for us."

Mathias nodded.

"End scenario," the wizard said. The room instantly became blank.

"What should we ask for?" Mathias asked.

Andreas looked thoughtful.

"This ROR is much more advanced then ours at Hogwarts. But the room at Hogwarts generates the scenarios we need without instruction. I bet that this room can divine the best scenario for our success if we give it free rein. Concentrate on our situation as hard as you can. Supposedly, the ROR draws information from our minds. Maybe it will show us what we need to do," Andreas suggested.

This made sense.

"All right," Mathias said, and he concentrated on all he knew about Voldemort and the danger he poised to the wizarding world. Andreas did too.

The room around them shimmered several times, scenes appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. Mathias caught glimpses of Voldemort in various locations, and other people as well. He even saw his father for an instant before he disappeared. Finally the ROR filled in. Both wizards looked around.

They appeared to be in a large bedroom, the walls lined with black velvet curtains, and there was a huge four-poster bed, the posts, headboard and endboard all intricately carved with snakes. A black wardrobe stood against the far wall. Torches burned low in the corner of the room, and the atmosphere was decidedly sinister.

"What is this?" Mathias whispered, looking about.

Andreas looked down at his feet and saw a flask and a machete sitting there. The flask looked familiar. He picked it up and studied it.

"Iboga Potion," he breathed.

Then he picked up the machete. It was made in the manner of the tools his people used to harvest or slaughter animals. Andreas knew it was specifically for him.

Suddenly Lord Voldemort fuzzed in. Or his golem rather.

"All right," Mathias said. "We're in the Dark Lord's bedroom. What possible reason could we have for even being here?"

Andreas' heart dropped as he realized there was only one scenario this could possibly be.

Suddenly Jasmine fuzzed in.

Mathias' eyes went wide.

"What is Jasmine doing here?" he said, scowling. Suddenly Jasmine's robe turned into a Slytherin colored nightie, that didn't leave much to the imagination. Her eyes fell on the Dark Lord. She looked resigned.

"Oh no," Mathias breathed. "No, Jasmine. No. Not him."

"Mathias," Andreas said to the wizard. Mathias didn't move as he looked at Jasmine with despair in his eyes. She was with the Dark Lord.

"Mathias…Jasmine isn't here willingly," Andreas said.

Mathias turned his eyes on his brother. They were haunted and angry.

"Look how's she's dressed, Andreas. She knows what she's doing. I can't believe she'd be willing to shag the Dark Lord. Look at him. He's a monster," the wizard said.

"Mathias, when Jasmine was evaluated, the Dark Lord made her his Consort. She was supposed to go to him on her eighteenth birthday…"

The wizard studied Jasmine.

"But she doesn't look much older than she is now, here. More than likely, the Dark Lord plans to take her sooner," the wizard concluded.

Mathias' eyes narrowed.

"You knew about this and didn't tell me, Andreas?" he asked his brother accusingly.

"It wasn't my place to tell you, Mathias. That was up to Jasmine. She confided in me because she had no one else to tell. Most witches would have told everyone because of the status being Consort to the Dark Lord gives them, but Jasmine doesn't want to do it. She doesn't feel it an honor. But she has to obey her father. That is the real reason she was sent to the island, because she protested and told him she didn't want to serve the Dark Lord. The only way Voldemort won't touch her is if she isn't a virgin when she comes to him…and even then she might face another punishment, though I doubt it can be worse than allowing a wizard like that to touch her," Andreas said.

Mathias stared at the simulation.

"Andreas…do you think the room can just run a simulation with us as observers? Just a scenario of what might happen if we weren't here?"

"Possibly," Andreas said.

"Let's try to run it," Mathias said.

Andreas looked doubtful.

"Mathias, I don't think you want to see this," the wizard said. "I don't think it's wise. There's no way to know if it is what will actually happen."

"I still want to see," Mathias said.

"ROR, run the simulation as if we weren't here," Andreas said, not sure if his command would work. Suddenly the golems began to move.

"Ah Jasmine, you are beautiful," the Dark Lord purred in his high-pitched voice as he advanced on the witch, one elegant scaled hand reaching for her cheek.

Jasmine flinched, and the Dark Lord scowled blackly.

"You find me unappealing, witch?" he demanded.

"You…you just look so different from when I saw you in the evaluation," the witch replied.

The wizard looked at her. Suddenly he backhanded Jasmine and the witch fell to the floor.

Mathias charged Voldemort but passed right through him. He couldn't affect the simulation. It was like an illusion.

"You think I'm a monster," he hissed at the witch, pulling her back up by the hair.

"Fight Jasmine!" Mathias hissed as Andreas watched his reaction with a worried expression.

But Jasmine wouldn't fight. She stood before the Dark Lord, who had a painful grip in her hair. Her cheek was turning black and blue.

"Well, my little witch…I will show you what a monster is…" he hissed, unbuttoning his robes with one hand. He was naked underneath, and his cock writhed out and poked the witch in her belly.

Jasmine screamed in horror and did strike the wizard's arm, forcing him to release her and running for the door. She wrestled with the knob frantically but it wouldn't open.

"You…you dare strike me?" Voldemort hissed at her. Suddenly the wizard thrust his palm at her and Jasmine froze in place, her eyes shifting wildly. Voldemort walked up to her slowly and placed his face very close to hers.

"You are going to learn a very hard lesson tonight, Lady Malfoy. No one has raised a hand to me since I was in Hogwarts. You will pay for your insubordination dearly. I'm going to enjoy this," he said softly.

The wizard picked the witch up and threw her into the bed. He snapped his fingers and her stiffness vanished, but it was easy to see that she couldn't control her limbs. The wizard stripped off his robes and stood naked before the witch…then walked over to the black wardrobe against the far wall, opened it and took out a thick leather belt. He closed the wardrobe and walked back to the witch.

Mathias' eyes were wide with horror.

"End the simulation, Mathias," Andreas hissed at him.

"No…I need to know…" Mathias said, "And don't you dare do it, Andreas…or I will put you out and watch it alone."

Andreas shook his head and turned back to the simulation. Voldemort was standing over the bed, the thick belt in one hand. He flicked his hand at Jasmine and suddenly the witch was naked. Voldemort hissed as his looked down on her body. He leaned over her, parted the witch with two fingers and studied her sex, his red eyes glinting.

"Yes. You still have your maidenhead. But not for long," the wizard hissed, straightening again and licking his fingers. Then his face contorted with lust.

"I need to prepare you first. There can be no pleasure without pain, Jasmine," Voldemort breathed, his organ snaking about excitedly as he raised the belt.

* * *

About an hour and a half later, Mathias and Andreas exited the ROR in silence. Mathias was paler than usual, and Andreas was sober. Gabby looked up at the boys and whined. He could sense something was very wrong. They were no longer happy. 

Mathias sat down on one of the benches, and Andreas sat beside him.

Neither said a word for almost twenty minutes.

"That is the scenario," Mathias said, his voice flat and emotionless, "That is when we kill him, when Jasmine goes to him. That is the scenario we must perfect, Andreas. He will be alone with her, no deatheaters present. We have to get in there and kill him then."

Andreas nodded.

"The room provided Iboga Potion. I don't think it was real, but I believe we are to use it," the wizard said.

"A journey? What good would a journey to the Dark Soul do? What are we supposed to do…force it down Voldemort's throat? He has to drink every drop and some would spill, Andreas."

Andreas looked at Mathias thoughtfully.

"Not necessarily," he replied, his eyes dark as they rested on Mathias, "Not necessarily my brother. Are you ready to return to the room and fight?"

Mathias nodded.

"Yes," he breathed, his black eyes murderous, "Fight and win."

* * *

Tonks took Mathias and Andreas back to Hogwarts, let them in, rewarded the gates and disapparated back to Order Headquarters. 

The boys took off at a run across the grounds and entered the castle. Mathias was walking fast.

"What is your hurry, brother?" Andreas said.

"I need to talk to my father," Mathias replied.

"But it's late. He's probably already retired," Andreas said.

"I don't care. I need to talk to him tonight or I won't get any sleep," the wizard replied as they approached the Potions office. Mathias removed the wards on the door. He could enter his father's rooms at anytime. The wards recognized him. Mathias turned toward Andreas.

"You go on to bed, Andreas. I'll see you in the morning," he said to the wizard. They clasped hands strongly.

"All right, Mathias. I hope things go well with the Professor," Andreas replied, walking up the corridor toward the entrance to Slytherin house.

Mathias let himself in, closed and rewarded the door. He pulled the torch and entered his father's study. He looked toward the bedroom. The door was open and a low glow was visible, but he didn't want to walk in there. He wasn't sure if his mother and father were asleep or involved in something he really didn't want to see.

"Dad? Dad, I need to talk to you…it's important," he called.

He heard a noise and the glow in the room brightened. Yes, his father was awake. But it was Hermione who walked out of the room, tying her robe around herself.

"Mathias, what's wrong…is everything all right?" she asked him worriedly, walking up to him and moving his hair out of his face so she could study it.

Severus walked out of the room, also tying his robe around him.

"Everything's fine, mum. I just need to talk to dad," Mathias replied, his dark eyes flicking over to his father.

"At this hour? About what?" Hermione asked, frowning slightly.

Mathias sighed inwardly. He knew what he was about to say would hurt his mother's feelings.

"It's private mum. I just need to talk to dad about it," he said softly.

"Private. Private?" she asked him.

"Yes. Something between me and him. Just me and him mum. Wizard stuff," Mathias responded.

Hermione's face fell.

Severus looked at his son. The boy would never purposely hurt his mother. This must be important. The Potions Master walked up behind Hermione and gently grasped her shoulders.

"You go back to bed, Hermione. I will be along after I talk to our son," he said gently.

He turned Hermione and walked her back to the bedroom.

She turned and looked at Mathias with hurt eyes, then walked into the room and closed the door behind her.

Severus turned and looked at him.

"You hurt her, you know," the wizard said to his son.

"I know, Dad. But I'm growing up. I can't tell mum everything anymore. She needs to realize that," he said, walking to one of the armchairs and sitting down.

Severus took the other and watched as Mathias drew his wand and cast a silencing spell around them.

The boy went silent for several moments, apparently brooding. Finally the Potions Master said something.

"What did you want to talk to me about, son?" Severus asked him.

Mathias looked at him.

"I need you to tell me how to deflower a virgin."

* * *

Severus arched an eyebrow at his son and studied him a moment. The boy looked at him steadily. 

"Mathias, you are only fifteen years old," Severus said.

"Yes, but by the time I deflower her we will both be sixteen," the boy said.

Severus was sixteen when he had his first sexual experience. The boy was a chip off the old block. The Potions Master nodded.

"Ah, is there a particular virgin you have in mind?" Severus asked him, or do you just want to know just to know?"

Severus was sure Mathias had someone specific in mind to have come to him at this hour.

"Someone specific," the young wizard replied, his eyes going dark as he remembered how Voldemort brutalized Jasmine in the ROR. That wasn't going to happen if he could help it.

"Do you care to tell me who it is?" the Potions Master inquired.

"No, not really dad. I just want to know how to do it," Mathias replied. "It would make me uncomfortable if you knew who I had in mind."

All right. The boy wanted to protect the witch's identity. That was admirable. Seems as if Mathias wouldn't shag and tell. Severus approved of that. He was the same way.

"Do you love this witch?" Severus asked him.

Mathias blinked at him and decided to be honest.

"No, I don't think I love her. But I care about her. A lot," the young wizard replied.

Severus nodded.

"I see," he said, considering the boy.

Well, care accounted for something. At least his son had some feelings for whoever the young lady was. Severus thought he might have an idea. He studied Mathias some more.

"It's important dad. I just…just want to do it right," Mathias said earnestly.

Severus looked at his son, then back at the bedroom door. He stood up and walked over to a section of his bookcase, studied the titles and extracted one. Then, with another look at the bedroom door…he moved to another section of the bookshelf and opened a hidden panel. He took out a blue pensieve. It had quite a bit of dust on it, and the wizard blew it off.

"Come on, Mathias…I think it would be better if we discussed this in my classroom," he said to his son.

Mathias rose and followed his father out of the study, through the office and into the Potions classroom. Severus warded the classroom door securely and put a silencing spell on the room. He walked up to his desk and deposited the book and the pensieve on it, then turned to Mathias, who sat on top of the student desk directly in front of him.

"Now Mathias, you asked me to tell you how to deflower a virgin, but I have to ask you have you engaged in sex before?" Severus asked him.

Mathias shook his head.

"No sir," he responded.

Severus nodded.

"So, what we have here in effect is the deflowering of two virgins, not one," the Potions Master said, warming up to his topic.

"What you must understand Mathias is that sex is an art. Other than procreation, the object of sex is pleasure. Mutual pleasure. Your own pleasure and the pleasure of the witch you are with. As far as procreation goes, I'm sure you realize you are much too young to handle the responsibilities involved with being a father," Severus said to him.

"Yes sir," Mathias said.

Severus walked up to the blackboard, picked up the chalk and wrote the heading "Deflowering a Virgin," in large letters. Beneath it, he wrote the number one, and next to it, "Contraceptive Spell." He put the chalk down and turned to Mathias.

The first step in deflowering a virgin, Mathias is to cast a contraceptive spell. This is the most important step for a wizard who does not wish to father a child. Do not leave contraception up to the witch. You can't be sure that way. You must first of all, cast a contraceptive spell. Understand?"

"Yes sir. Contraceptive Spell," Mathias repeated.

"Good. Now I have to ask you, do you want to make love to this witch, or shag this witch?"

Mathias' eyebrows rose.

"No need to look like that, son. I am going to use the common terms. We are men and men talk this way," Severus said evenly.

Mathias nodded, then asked, "What is the difference?"

"For me, there is no difference…but I am a rather hard case," the Potions Master smirked. "But generally, if you have tender feelings for a witch, you want to take your time with her and be relatively gentle in your penetration of her. In other words, you won't make her scream."

Mathias frowned.

"Scream? Witches scream when you do it?" Mathias asked his father.

"If you do it right, yes," the Potions Master replied. But when you make love to a witch, generally she will moan and sigh with pleasure, maybe whisper your name, things of that nature. She may scream when she orgasms however."

"What's an orgasm?" Mathias asked him.

"Proof that you know what you are doing," the Potions Master replied. "We will cover that. Now I am going to tell you what shagging is. Shagging is when you are driven to totally possess a witch's body and generally ride her as hard as you can, mostly for your own pleasure. But again, if you shag a witch properly, she will orgasm and be satisfied. Shagging is about getting as much sensation and enjoyment from a witch's body as you can. Generally if you have a physical attraction to a witch, but no real feelings for her, when you engage in sex, you are shagging her. Now I ask you again, Mathias…do you want to make love to this witch, or shag her?" the Potions Master asked.

Mathias thought about this. He didn't think he wanted to shag Jasmine, nor did he want to make love to her. He wanted to make it so Voldemort wouldn't touch her. The only way he wouldn't do that is if she were already deflowered.

"Is there a third option?" Mathias asked his father, who looked at him quizzically.

"A third option?" Severus asked him to make sure he heard what he heard from the boy.

"What if you're like…like…doing her a favor?" Mathias inquired. "Helping her out?"

Both of Severus' eyebrows rose.

"Well, there is something called a 'pity shag' when you engage in sex with someone because you feel sorry for them," Severus said. "Usually witches do that for wizards, but I suppose it could work the other way around."

"I think that's what this is," Mathias said. "A pity shag. I feel sorry for the witch I'm going to deflower."

Severus stared at him for a moment. A pity shag? His son?

"Mathias, does this witch have a deformation or some other trait that makes her, um…unattractive to other males?" Severus asked him delicately.

"No. She looks fine," Mathias replied. "Probably a lot of wizards would like to deflower her."

"Then why do you feel sorry for her?" Severus asked him.

"It's got to do with her situation, dad. That's all I want to say about it, okay?" Mathias said.

Severus scowled at him a bit. But the boy had a right to his privacy. At least Mathias came to him for advice.

"Very well," Severus said, turning and picking up the pensieve.

"Sit down at the desk," the Potions Master instructed, setting the pensieve on the desktop.

Mathias walked around the desk and sat down, looking at the pensieve curiously.

"What is that, dad?" he asked his father.

"That my boy, is a "Blue Pensieve." It is for X-rated entertainment. I presume you have never seen anyone have sex before," Severus said.

Mathias shook his head, staring at the pensieve.

"Well, pensieves like this are created to arouse wizards and witches. In this case, however, it will be used to educate you because of the difference in its contents. This particular pensieve shows two separate couples engaging explicitly in sex and sex play. You will be able to see the actual mechanics of the act and the reactions of the people involved as they perform different acts on each other. The first couple will be engaged in lovemaking. The second couple will be shagging. You will see the difference," the Potions Master said.

He looked at Mathias squarely.

"Now, if you start viewing this and feel disgusted by it, Mathias, most likely you are not ready to engage in sex for whatever reason. I want you to disengage if that happens. If, however you find that it arouses you, then that is an adult reaction and is fine. Don't be ashamed of it. I want you to pay attention to the differences between the sex acts. Afterward you can ask me any questions that you like."

Mathias felt a little nervous about this. He looked up at his father, who quirked his lip at the apprehension in the boy's eyes. Well, he'd get a very thorough education as to what men and women do during sex. There were examples of fellatio, cunnilingus and several different sexual positions. No anal sex however. Severus thought that would be a bit much for the boy his first viewing.

"Well, go ahead, Mathias. Place your finger in the pensieve," his father urged.

Mathias slowly inserted his finger into the small blue bowl and fell still. Severus watched him closely. Presently, Mathias' sweat pants began to tent.

"Definitely an adult reaction," his father said with a small grin.

Severus stood by an observed Mathias as he viewed the pensieve. The tent in the young wizard's pants was quite impressive for a youth his age. In this case it was the banana, and not the apple that didn't fall far from the tree.

Presently, Mathias stirred and removed his finger from the pensieve. His dark eyes looked rather hot as he looked up at his father.

"Damn," he said by way of expression. "Damn."

Severus smirked at the boy. The pensieve had made its impression.

Mathias looked down at his erection and turned very red as he tried to adjust his pants and hide it.

"Don't worry about your erection Mathias. The same thing happens to me whenever I view that particular pensieve. Particularly when I watch the second couple," Severus said.

This seemed to put Mathias at ease, but he did slide in closer to the desk to try and hide his arousal.

"So could you tell the difference between love-making and shagging based on the couples' actions?" Severus asked Mathias.

Still looking rather dazed, Mathias nodded.

"Now, tell me Mathias, which aroused you more…the first or second couple? And why?" Severus said

Mathias turned red again.

"The second couple," he murmured, "They seemed more…more…real. You could tell the wizard enjoyed it…and the witch…the way she was moving…the way she sounded…she…she…"

Mathias stopped. He couldn't articulate how the way the wizard took the witch affected him. Severus nodded. Apparently Mathias had the sexual soul of a roughrider.

"But there were some things the first couple did that I liked too. It was easy to see the wizard cared about the witch and she liked what was being done to her. It wasn't so rushed. Still, the rushed part seemed good too, but the second couple didn't touch and kiss as much. The touching and kissing seemed…well nice," Mathias said his eyes looking a bit distant. Then he looked up at Severus.

"Isn't there some kind of middle ground, dad? I mean it doesn't have to be all like the first or the second couple. Can't you still make love to a witch, but shag her too?" the boy asked his father.

When Mathias came to ask his father about deflowering Jasmine, he wasn't thinking anything about the pleasure aspect of it. He had been looking at it rather clinically. He realized when he watched the couples, that there was an aspect of physical pleasure involved in it, and he would most likely feel that pleasure when he took Jasmine. So not only did he have to deflower her, but make the witch feel as much pleasure as he did. Judging by the way the couples reacted sex felt very, very good. The boy felt as if he would like to deflower Jasmine tonight after seeing the pensieve. He wanted to know what it would feel like himself.

Severus smiled at his son.

"Yes Mathias, there is a middle ground, but it takes time and experience to find it," he said. Then he looked at the boy for a moment before he asked the next question. "So, would you like to make love to the witch or shag her?"

Mathias looked up at him and thought about Jasmine, now in a very sexual way, rather than her deflowerment being a vehicle to protect her from Voldemort's attentions. She was very pretty, very bossy and he did like her. He would like to see her act like the witches in the pensieve for him. They lost control, especially in the second act, the rougher one. He'd like to make Jasmine lose control.

"I think I'd like to do both," Mathias said honestly. "I want to make her feel good, but I also want to…to…well let loose on her, I guess."

The boy felt a strong throb when he said this, and bit back a gasp. But Severus caught it.

"All right. That is 'technique." We will talk about this after we get through the mechanics of deflowerment," Severus said.

"Um dad, there were other things the wizard did to the witch. He…he licked her…down there," the boy said, making a face.

Severus wanted to laugh, badly.

Instead, he asked Mathias, "Did that disgust you?"

"A little," Mathias said, "Do I have to do that?"

Severus shook his head.

"No, you don't son. You don't have to do any sexual act you don't want to. But there is a reason to do such a thing, and believe it or not…it can be very pleasurable to do with a witch that is clean. But that is a matter of preference. I will explain that to you as well, after we get through the basics."

"Do you do that, dad?" Mathias asked him.

Severus stared at the boy, not knowing how to answer this. Telling his son he ate pussy was not something he dreamed he'd ever have to do.

"Mathias, just let me say that the best sexual experiences involve all the senses, touch, sight, sound, scent and taste. I fully utilize all my senses when it comes to sex and encourage my partner to do the same," the wizard said evenly. "It is a very freeing experience if you are open to exploration."

Mathias looked at him. So his dad did lick witches. Maybe he'd try it one day.

Severus removed the pensieve from the student desk and placed it on his own, then walked back to the blackboard. He wrote the number two and the following words. "Seduction/Sexual Arousal." He put the chalk down, walked over to the desk and picked up the book. He then walked around the student desk and sat down next to Mathias.

The next thing you have to do, Mathias, is to sexually arouse or seduce the witch. "Most witches are not like wizards when it comes to sexual arousal. Men are more visual. The sight of a woman's curves can make a wizard instantly ready to penetrate her. Unfortunately, just because a witch knows you want to shag her, doesn't mean she will let you. Most of the time a witch has to be persuaded to let you have at her. Seduced. And this takes time. You do know what seduction is, don't you?"

Mathias nodded, but his eyes looked a bit confused.

"Well, just to be clear, the simplest definition of seduction is the process of deliberately enticing another person into an act they might not normally do."

Mathias nodded again. Severus continued.

"The object of seduction on a witch is to make her want to let you shag her. There are two tried and true methods to do this. Verbally, through your words and physically, through your touch, using your mouth, hands and body. The ultimate goal is to get her to let you touch her between her thighs intimately…the premise being if you can get your hands on it, you can stick your wand in it."

Mathias' mouth dropped open for a moment then snapped shut. Severus smirked, then continued his instruction.

"Experienced witches are difficult enough, but a virgin requires a lot of patience and needs a lot of reassurance. This is her first time giving her body to someone else, the first time she will be penetrated. Usually, even if she is willing, she is nervous, upset and frightened because she doesn't know what to expect and she has to give up her power and trust you. Always keep that in mind, Mathias."

The young wizard nodded, seeming spellbound by his father's words.

"You must have her in a place that is private, comfortable, reassuring, and free from interruptions. Preferably a bed should be present. A witch's first sexual experience and the wizard who takes her virginity is always remembered. You should do your best to give her a good memory, Mathias. If she has a bad experience, she may be ruined from enjoying sex with anyone who comes after you. So it is a big responsibility."

Mathias absorbed this. There was a lot more to deflowering a virgin than simply sticking his penis inside her.

Severus thought about Hermione's experience with him. He hadn't known she wasn't lucid, nor that she was a virgin initially. He hadn't even cast a contraceptive spell. He didn't want his son making the same mistakes he did.

"Now, as to the seduction itself. Initially you start verbally, trying to entice her to let you physically touch her. Depending on the witch, you may start out with telling her how beautiful she is, how she makes you want to get closer to her."

Here Severus hesitated, then looked at his son soberly.

"But Mathias, don't lie to her. Don't tell her you love her if you don't. Don't tell her you will stay with her, if you won't. If you need to lie to persuade her, then it would be better if you don't touch her. Lying for sex is a cruel thing to do to a witch. Don't treat any woman in such a way, then you will maintain your honor as a wizard."

Mathias nodded.

"As you talk to her, try to come in contact with her. Take her hand, embrace her gently if possible and kiss her. Press your body against her if you can, but not too insistently. You want to feel her respond, to your kiss and to your body. You are making headway if she presses back into you. That is a sign she wants more contact. If she shows this, you can increase your ardor, add some caresses, your goal being to touch parts of her body that are usually off-limits. Start with her sides…never go immediately for her breasts or buttocks but work your way towards it, keeping her distracted with kisses."

"Your mouth is very effective. A witch's throat is very sensitive…and if she lets you kiss her throat, it is a better sign that she is responding to you. Kissing and caressing should be combined. Keep in contact with her skin as much as possible. The feeling of your flesh on her flesh will prepare her for more intimate contact. Do you need to take notes?" Severus asked Mathias.

"No," Mathias replied.

He had excellent powers of retention, and besides in the pensieve the wizard did the same thing to the witch, so he had a visual reference as well. He would emulate the wizard.

"Once you can touch her breasts and other intimate parts of her body, you should be able to get her out of some of her clothing if you take your time. Disrobe her gently, and keep eye and body contact as much as possible. We Snape men have the kind of eyes that mesmerize witches as well as inspire fear in wizards. Use them, Mathias."

Mathias was very aware of how his eyes affected people. He had heard witches whispering about his eyes. Mathias suddenly realized that there were witches at Hogwarts he probably wouldn't have to seduce to shag. Now, that was interesting. Viewing that blue pensieve had definitely broadened his sexual scope.

But Jasmine was meant to be his first. And he found that he really wanted to do this with her now.

"Once she allows you to touch her there, Mathias, then things will move faster from that point on. Most likely you can put her in the bed," the Potions Master said. "But you need to know how to touch it."

Severus opened the book he had and leafed through it until he came to a large picture of a vagina, with all the good parts labeled.

"This, is a pussy son, or better known as the vagina. It is what pushes wizards into the world, and what wizards spend most of their lives trying to get back into. Study it. Learn it. Know it," Severus said passing Mathias the book. "It is a source of great pleasure and great pain."

Mathias studied the picture. Severus continued.

"They don't all look the same. They vary in size, color, degree of tightness and in other ways," Severus said. He cocked his head at the picture. "But this is a decent representation."

Severus pointed a long pale finger at the image, tracing it.

"This is the 'Labium Majora,' or in layman's terms, the lips of the pussy. They remain closed over the clitoris and you have to part them to get at it. The clitoris is the sexual center of a witch's universe, the trigger of all that is holy," Severus smirked, pointing at the little peak of flesh that brought witches so much pleasure

"Like the penis, the clitoris, or 'clit' contains sensitive nerve endings and becomes erect and filled with blood during sexual stimulation. Manipulation of this part of a witch with your fingers, tongue or any part of your body has the result of sending her into meltdown. When shagging a witch, you should work your body in such a way that when you penetrate her, you also rub and bump against this. It will help bring her to orgasm."

Mathias looked at him.

"Dad, what is an orgasm?" Mathias asked him.

"The female equivalent of male ejaculation," his father replied. "It is also called climax, release, or coming."

Now, Mathias knew what that was. He had a few experiences with it while sleeping. It felt very good. Very good and very messy.

"It is important that you make a witch climax, Mathias in order to make her feel fulfilled. I think the ability to do this is the mark of a Master Lover and should be a goal every time you have sex. Many wizards are selfish and don't care if the witch reaches her pinnacle as long as they do. I don't believe in that. The act of sex should always be mutually satisfying. If you can make a witch orgasm, she will seek you out again and again in most cases. If you can make her do it more than once during the same act, most likely she will designate you as a sex god. Word can get around," the Potions Master said, quirking his lip.

Mathias noticed his father seemed to be smirking quite a bit during this lesson.

Severus pointed to an opening at the bottom of the vagina.

"This is the vaginal passageway, or to wizards, the 'Gate to Paradise. This is where you penetrate the witch and is also called the 'pussy' though it is a targeted area. This passageway is about three to four inches long, but it can expand and contract to accommodate any size wizard. So you needn't worry if the witch seems too 'small' to handle you."

Mathias was a bit concerned about this. He had a very large tool and thought he might do a witch damage. He had a feeling his father was built the same way. His mum, who was a very petite witch, didn't seem any worse for wear, however.

Severus stood up and walked back to the blackboard. He wrote the number three and one word next to it. Deflowerment. He returned to his seat next to Mathias and leveled his eyes at him.

"Now, with a virgin, Mathias…the opening will have a thin membrane over it that has to be broken before you can enter her. It is called a 'hymen'. It is proof she has never had sex. Sometimes it can be torn or even broken in the case of a very active witch. She will still be a virgin however. Penetration by a male organ is what takes a witch's virginity, not the lack of a hymen." Severus said, tapping the picture.

He looked at Mathias.

"This is the hardest part of deflowering a virgin. Breaking the hymen causes pain and discomfort. When you deflower a witch, Mathias, you have to enter her quick and hard to rip the hymen away. She usually will scream and possibly cry. You have to make sure she is very aroused, because the pussy lubricates itself in readiness to receive you, and if she is dry the pain will be unbearable and it will be equally uncomfortable for you. So you will have to check her with your fingers to make sure she is well lubricated before you enter her."

Mathias nodded, scowling slightly. He was going to have to hurt Jasmine. He didn't like that.

"Dad, is there any way to not make it hurt?" he asked his father.

"No son. But you can misdirect the pain. You can bite her on the ear as you thrust inside her, to take her mind off it. But either way, there will be pain," the Potions Master said.

Mathias didn't want to bite Jasmine. He would just have to be quick.

"I think the best position to deflower a witch is putting her legs over your shoulders and raising yourself up on your hands so you can see her body. It is easier to position yourself at her entrance, and to penetrate her hard and quick, gravity working for you. Then you can lower yourself on to her body."

Mathias nodded. He would remember that. Severus continued.

"Now, once you are inside her, Mathias, you are going to feel a strong urge to start moving, to feel her sliding around you. You can't do that. You have to hold back and give her time to adjust to your length and girth, and for the pain to subside. Kissing her and talking to her will ease her distress while you wait. Say things to comfort her such as, "it will be all right," or "it will get better" and ask her if she is all right and if you can continue. When she says yes, you have to be gentle at first, moving slowly in and out of her until you can see that you are giving her pleasure."

"Once you know you are for sure, you can move faster, deeper and harder. You will have to test her reactions to more power. Some witches like it good and hard, others don't. It usually depends on how aroused she is and if you are moving against her clit as you should be. Sometimes it helps to reach down and manipulate her clitoris as you shag her. It also helps if you talk to her while you shag her. Witches need to feel you are with them. What you say to her depends on what you think she likes. Some witches like you to say sweet things to them, and others like you to talk very dirty to them. You can ask her what she wants if you aren't sure," the Potions Master instructed. "If she wants you to talk dirty to her, it doesn't mean the witch is necessarily dirty-minded. Such talk can be arousing to her during sex when it would be offensive any other time. Sex lowers the inhibitions when done correctly."

Mathias wondered if Jasmine would want him to say dirty things to her. He throbbed again. Wow, this talk was getting to him. His father continued.

"Remember, Mathias, you want to make her orgasm before you do. If you manage to do it, her sleeve will clamp down on you very tightly, pulse and release over you. It is hot, wet and exquisite and most likely you will want to drive through her…and it is the perfect opportunity to let go on the witch because she is lost to her own bliss. This is also the point where most wizards will ejaculate or come if they are overcome by pleasure. You will feel a tightening in your scrotum, and various things will happen to your body that you won't be able to control. If you want to last longer, stopping and thinking of something sad or disturbing might help alleviate the urge to release. But when you do come inside a witch, son…the pleasure you will feel will probably curl your toes. It is normal to quake, shudder, shout, curse, hiss or groan during ejaculation. Basically, anything goes."

Mathias stared at his father. He sounded like he enjoyed sex very much and definitely knew what he was talking about. Mum must be very happy with him. It seemed like he knew everything.

Severus stood up one more time and walked to the blackboard, and wrote a number four down, and two words. The Close. He returned to the seat.

"Now, the aftermath of sex can be awkward, but generally when you withdraw from the witch's body, you should hold her, kiss her and praise her. The way you react afterwards has a direct effect on whether she will let you take her again," the Potions Master said. "Or even ask you to take her again."

Again? Mathias never even thought about doing it more than once. He was supposed to be keeping Voldemort off of Jasmine, not finding his own pleasure with her.

Severus watched his son. He had told him all he needed to know about deflowering a virgin, and hopefully about treating a witch with respect. There was much more to sex, but the boy had the basics. He could discover the rest for himself. Mathias looked very thoughtful.

"Do you have any questions?" Severus asked him.

Mathias looked at him. He did have one.

"In the second pensieve, the witch…she…she put her mouth on wizard and sucked him. Do all witches do that?" Mathias asked.

"They say they don't," the Professor replied smirking.

"It looks like it feels good," Mathias said.

Actually watching the witch do it had turned him on immensely, though it seemed kind of wrong. Especially when she swallowed the wizard's come. But that had turned him on too. He felt a bit guilty about that.

"Um hmm," the Potions Master replied. He wasn't about to say it did feel good. He didn't want Mathias thinking about his mother giving him a blowjob.

"As I said, sex lowers the inhibitions. Some witches enjoy giving fellatio. But it isn't something most virgins would do. Not their first time out," Severus said, eyeing the boy.

"Oh no. No," Mathias agreed.

Fellatio. So that's what it was called. He hadn't even thought about asking Jasmine to do something like that. He wouldn't. It just looked as if it was good.

Severus stood up, gathered up the book and pensieve, then walked to his Potions stores. He unwarded the door and entered. Presently he emerged with a flask, rewarded the door and walked back to Mathias. He left the 'tools' of Mathias' education in the stores.

The wizard held the flask out to his son.

"Here. Drink this," he said.

"What is it?" Mathias asked, frowning a bit.

"A deflating draught. For all I know your mother is lurking around out there and I don't want her seeing you leave here with a huge erection," his father said, "or have you entering Slytherin house and walking past a group of witches while standing 'at attention."

Mathias drank the contents. He immediately deflated. He stood up and looked down at himself.

"Thanks dad," he said, walking out from behind the desk.

In a rare show of affection, Severus ruffled Mathias' hair.

"You're welcome son," he replied.

Both wizards walked to the classroom door. Severus unwarded it and they exited, Mathias headed for Slytherin house, and Severus to his bedroom. No doubt Hermione would be getting a rousing hello.

On the blackboard, the instructions for deflowering a virgin remained glittering brightly against the dark background. The Potions Master had forgotten to erase them.

Hopefully Severus would actually enter the classroom when he unwarded the door in the morning in preparation for his arriving pupils, otherwise the young wizards in his first class would be quite surprised, and no doubt enthusiastic about the day's lesson they found on the board.

* * *

"Miss Granger, you really need to get more sleep!" Cronnie said, handing Hermione another flask of pepper-up potion from his briefcase. "I know the trial has you on edge but you simply have to try a get your rest at night." 

Hermione turned a bleary eye on Cronnie as she opened the flask. He had no idea what she went through last night. Severus had returned from his talk with Mathias acting very strangely. He climbed into bed with her and began kissing her and muttering against her mouth something like…"if you can touch it…" And it went on from there. The Potions Master rode her unmercifully, brought her to three intense orgasms and left her absolutely exhausted. Then he rolled off her, pulled her to him, muttered "The Close" and abruptly fell asleep.

She didn't even get a chance to ask him what he and Mathias talked about.

There were no protestors outside the Ministry. Demonstrations had been banned for the duration of the trial. Quite a few witches and wizards involved in yesterday's riot had been arrested or sent to St. Mungos from both sides. It took more than an hour and over one hundred Aurors to break the riot up. Luckily, no one was killed in the fray.

Draco Malfoy sat at the prosecutor's table looking tired. After Professor Binns, the wizard didn't know what to expect. He stood with the rest of the audience as the Council members filed in, looking worse than they did yesterday. Minister Figglesworth would be glad when this trial was over. They had a lot of work to do to restore the Ministry to pre-DKV status. It was the Council's hope that by rescinding the pro-pureblood changes they had instituted, and issuing public apologies that they might save their positions on the Ministry Council.

Minister Figglesworth looked at Cronnie.

"Do you have any other witnesses to call for the defense, Mr. Jockrin?" he asked the wizard, who was dressed in bright green robes with orange stars this morning.

Cronnie rose.

"Yes sir. I have only one more witness to call for the defense," he announced.

Draco sat up straight. Only one more witness…thank the gods. A murmur went up from the audience.

Cronnie looked around the courtroom dramatically.

"I call," he said, "Lord Draco Malfoy to the witness stand!"

"What?" Draco bellowed, standing up and turning bright red with rage. "Me?"

"Yes, you, my Lord. Your reforms are what caused Miss Granger to be replaced in the first place. Your motivations and purposes are in question. In essence, sir…only you can give this case the proper closure. Now up you go, if you please sir," Cronnie said.

Draco looked at the Minister.

"But I am the prosecutor. To be a witness in this case is a conflict of interest. Besides, I can't very well cross-examine myself!" the wizard said desperately.

Draco didn't want to be subjected to the oath. He would be forced to tell the truth concerning anything Cronnie asked him. Gods, he was in hell. This chamber was hell.

Minister Figglesworth consulted with the other Council members.

"This might get the noose from around our necks and securely around Draco's" the Minister whispered to the others as Draco looked on. He knew immediately he was a goner…the Council's sacrificial niffler.

Minister Figglesworth looked from Draco to Cronnie.

"We are going to allow this, Mr. Jockrin. Lord Malfoy, please be sworn in," the wizard said.

"Fine," Draco spat, stalking around the prosecutor's table and standing in front of the Auror to be administered the oath. "But I want it recorded that I am testifying under duress."

"Your protest will be duly noted, Lord Malfoy," the Minister replied as the wizard walked into the witness box and dropped into the chair sullenly. His ice blue eyes rested on Cronnie, who gave him a rather evil grin.

The lawyer strolled up to the witness stand.

"Your name please?" he asked Draco politely.

"Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy," the wizard replied angrily.

"And your line of work?" Cronnie asked him, his gray eyes glittering.

"Duly Elected Council Member for the Ministry of Magic," Draco replied.

Cronnie looked at him.

"Is that your only position, Lord Malfoy?" Cronnie pressed.

"I am also the co-founder of the Dark Knights of Valor," the wizard said, frowning as murmurs rose from the crowd.

Cronnie's bushy eyebrows rose.

"Co-founder, you say? May I ask who the other founder is?" the lawyer inquired.

Draco hesitated but the oath compelled him.

"Lord Voldemort," he hissed.

Cronnie looked at him.

"Lord Voldemort? Isn't he supposed to be in exile from the wizarding world?" Cronnie inquired.

"He is. I act on his behalf since he is unable to do so openly. He is being hunted," the blonde wizard said.

"I see. So you admit you consort with criminals, Lord Malfoy?" Cronnie asked.

Draco was no fool. Voldemort was considered a criminal and the oath would not let him say no. But he could work around it if he were careful.

"I work with a brilliant individual who has grand plans for the wizarding world who cannot represent himself because he is being targeted by the Order and others," the wizard replied.

Cronnie looked at him. Nice save, Draco.

"I see. A rose by any other name, Lord Draco," Cronnie replied dismissively, walking over to his briefcase and removing several pieces of parchment. He approached the council bench.

"I would like to introduce this photo to the trial. Here are the certifications that attests to the photo's authenticity," Cronnie said smoothly.

Minister Figglesworth blanched and passed the photo around the Council. Every member went pale as a ghost as the labeled picture passed from hand to hand. Minister Figglesworth examined the seals on the certifications, then looked at Cronnie, his eyes wide.

"How did you get this?" he asked Cronnie.

"I will explain when I formally introduce it," the lawyer replied.

Minister Figglesworth started to hand the photo back, but Cronnie held up his hand.

"No, keep it. Believe me I have plenty," he said.

Cronnie walked back to his briefcase and took out a large stack of photos and handed all but one of them to the Auror.

"When I introduce this picture to Lord Malfoy, please distribute one photo apiece to the jury and the audience," he directed.

Draco was watching Cronnie with narrowed eyes. What was he playing at?

Cronnie looked at the wizard and walked up to him, handing him the photo.

"Lord Malfoy, can you please tell me who that is?" the lawyer asked him as Draco's face paled.

"How did you get this? It is impossible that you have this. It's a forgery. It has to be!" he exclaimed.

Cronnie gave him a rather exasperated look.

"Lord Malfoy, you know it is illegal for me to introduce any falsified documents into a trial. This image was taken from the mind of one Harry Potter. It is from his fourth year. Experts examined him and declared the memory to be a true one. The photo or Pens-pic was captured by a Pensieve Camera that takes snapshots of a witch's or wizard's memories and commits them to film. This was done in the presence of several recognized authorities. Now I ask you again, who is that wizard?"

Gasps went up around the courtroom as the pictures were passed out. One witch fainted, and a wizard ran from the room. So did the newspaper reporters, clutching the image in their hands.

"Lord Voldemort," Draco said miserably.

"Ah, you mean the same Lord Voldemort who co-founded the DKV?" Cronnie asked.

"Yes," Draco said, defeated.

The photo of Voldemort was a damning one, and in color. The Dark Wizard was clearly casting the Killing Curse at Harry, the image of him stepping forth in all his thin, scaly, lipless glory, snarling the spell and the dread green light blasting from the tip of his wand. Luckily, Harry's own wand, a brother to Voldemort's, stopped it.

The picture made every member of the audience flinch the first time it was viewed. The Killing curse was terrifying, and the malice of the wizard was evident.

At that same moment, hired witches and wizards were handing out the very same photos all over the wizarding world to passersbys, who reacted with horror at seeing the Dark Lord as he really appeared. Members of the DKV stared at the image with disbelief. This was the monster whose tenets they were blindly following? He wasn't even human, and that was a thousand times worse than a muggle-born. Plus he was clearly breaking the law and casting the Killing curse at someone in an attempt to kill them.

The Dark Lord's appearance and his violence captured forever on film was the final rock cake that broke the back of the DKV. The Dark Knights of Valor's headquarters was descended upon by droves of witches and wizards seeking to formally withdraw their memberships.

"What kind of curse do you think he is casting, Mr. Malfoy?" Cronnie asked him.

"An Unforgivable," Draco responded sullenly.

"The Killing curse to be exact, Lord Malfoy. And this is the wizard you serve? If anyone is unfit to hold a Ministry position…it is you sir!" Cronnie bellowed at the wizard.

Draco didn't reply. There was nothing he could say.

"Lord Malfoy, is Voldemort even human?" Cronnie asked him

"Yes, he is," Draco said. The oath didn't stop him from saying this.

Voldemort was human after a manner of speaking, but was terribly disfigured by the potions he took to stay strong. Snake venom figured strongly in those brews, which accounted for the transformation he underwent.

"It has come to my attention, Lord Malfoy that you held clandestine parties where the Dark Lord met with individuals from the DKV and evaluated the children of his most trusted deatheaters to see if they were worthy to serve and choose the positions they would occupy in his ranks. Is this so?" Cronnie asked.

"Yes," Draco said.

"You realize that this was illegal being the Dark Lord is in exile and not supposed to set foot in the wizarding world," Cronnie said.

"There is no solid proof the Dark Lord committed any atro…"

Suddenly Draco began to choke, his face reddening as the oath throttled him for attempting to lie.

"Yesssss! Yesssss!" he gasped. Suddenly he was able to breathe again.

Cronnie looked at him.

"But you weren't alone in this, Lord Malfoy. How can we expect the law to be enforced when members of the Council itself went and paid homage to the Dark Lord?" Cronnie said, his eyes shifting toward the Council members. "Their presence absolves you of guilt, Lord Malfoy simply because it shows that they all supported him as well and were unwilling to have him arrested."

The entire Council seemed to sink into their seats, and Minister Figglesworth cursed the day he had ever laid eyes on Draco Malfoy.

"Did the Dark Lord look like this at the gatherings you arranged?" Cronnie asked Draco.

"No, he didn't" the wizard responded.

"And why do you suppose that is, my Lord?" the wizard asked him.

"Because of his difference in appearance, he might not have been accepted by the DKV membership. They would not have seen past his appearance to take advantage and absorb the powerful ideals he represented," Draco replied.

"In other words, they would not have followed him or the DKV line he authored," Cronnie said.

"No," Draco admitted.

"So in other words, the DKV line was pushed forward in the Ministry, to the membership and to the public dishonestly. Voldemort and his precepts were represented to be acceptable…something they were not. Is that correct, Lord Malfoy?"

"Yes," Draco said, his eyes hard.

Cronnie looked at Hermione.

"So the reforms you passed were also accepted under these same false pretenses. In other words you continued to perpetrate the lie that was Voldemort." Cronnie surmised.

Draco nodded.

"You cannot make a lie into the law, Lord Malfoy. You did manage to work the DKV line into the Ministry regulations, but by your own admission they are null and void since the entire DKV itself was based on misrepresentation. So the decision made to remove Hermione Granger from her position is also…null and void sir. The decision was decidedly illegal, and every action passed by the Council based on that line should be rescinded immediately," Cronnie said. "You may step down, Lord Malfoy."

Draco slunk out of the jury box and to his seat. The eyes of the Council all rested on him murderously. As far as they were concerned, Draco had ruined them. All of them.

Cronnie turned to the jury to make a closing statement.

"My friends, I am not saying Miss Hermione Granger was right to do what she did in the Spells Department…but it was a small reactionary act. You have heard during this trial much greater crimes committed that led to her outbursts. If these crimes had not occurred, neither would have Miss Granger's reaction. On the basis of this fact, not to mention the testimony we have heard from our witnesses as to the bigotry behind her removal, I believe Miss Hermione Granger should be acquitted of all charges simply because the illegal chain of events leading up to her outburst was put into motion by Draco Malfoy and the Ministry itself…wrongly and unfairly. Make the right decision, my friends. Acquit Hermione Granger."

Cronnie turned to Draco.

"Does the prosecution wish to make a closing statement?" he asked.

Draco's gray eyes swept over the stern faces of the jury. He needn't waste his time.

"No. No closing statement," he said tiredly.

Cronnie returned to his seat and looked at Figglesworth expectantly. The wizard was staring at him with abject hatred. He had named the Council responsible as well in his closing statement. Figglesworth was praying it would all fall on Draco. But it hadn't. He tore his gaze away from the lawyer, who was looking back at him coolly, and looked at the jury.

"Members of the jury, you will be excused to deliberate. I must inform you that this trial was to focus on the acts of Hermione Granger, and Hermione Granger alone. That is what you should focus on when you deliberate. You are excused and this court will reconvene in one hour," he said.

The Auror opened the jury box and the jurors filed out, glancing toward Hermione then towards Draco before exiting through the side door to the deliberation room. Then the Auror called the room to order and everyone rose as the Council exited as well.

Cronnie leaned into Hermione.

"Now we wait and see," he said soberly.

Hermione was staring at the image of Voldemort.

"Mr. Jockrin…you've broken the DKV," she said in an awed voice, looking up at the wizard.

He shook his head.

"No. The people broke the DKV. All they needed was a push and a bit of stirring up. You were the stirrer, Miss Granger and Rita Skeeter was the push. I was just a catalyst. But I have a feeling the dissolution of the DKV won't solve the wizarding world's problems. There is one very angry Dark Lord out there."

Hermione nodded.

"I know. And all those people still have the Mark, even if they do withdraw from the DKV. He has an army he can use right now if he wishes," she said, a tremor in her voice.

"He will regroup first and get all his dragons in a row before he does that. A takeover requires more than spilled blood, Miss Granger. It requires planning and thought. Voldemort will need to find a way to move into power and restore order. He won't make a move until he figures out exactly how to do that. There is still time to break the Mark."

"Yes," Hermione said, "And there will be plenty of people willing to be tested now. I'll work on the problem day and night until I can break its power."

Cronnie nodded and studied Hermione.

She certainly was a determined little lady.

* * *

An hour later the jury returned. It hadn't taken them five minutes to reach their decision. 

"We unanimously find the defendant, Hermione Granger…not guilty and cleared of all charges," the forewitch declared, giving Hermione a big smile. She was a pureblood too.

The courtroom went wild as Hermione's innocence was proclaimed, shouting and hugging as Hermione hugged Cronnie.

The Auror tried to restore order, but finally gave up.

Draco sat with his elbows resting on the prosecutor's table and his head in his hands. He had lost. Everything. Every fucking thing.

The wizard looked at Hermione with hatred as she smiled at the people surging about her, giving her their congratulations.

That gods damn mudblood had outdone him again.

"Draco?"

The wizard looked up to see Minister Figglesworth standing over him, his face set somberly and his fists clenched at his sides. The knuckles were white.

"Yes Minister?" the wizard said, rising.

"I need to talk to you," Figglesworth said, frowning now, "About your immediate resignation from this Council."

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was all smiles as he looked at the stack of applications from wizards and witches seeking to join the Order of the Phoenix piled on his desk. It was a miracle. A true miracle. The untouchable DKV folded in less than two weeks after Hermione Granger's arrest. 

The old wizard picked up the evening edition of the Daily Prophet and studied the photo of Voldemort snarling and casting the Killing curse. He shook his head. That had been the coup de grace. He read the caption.

Voldemort: Leader of the DKV Captured on Film

The article beneath explained how the picture was captured from Harry Potter's memory and recapped the Dark Lord's return, the death of Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory and the Ministry's attempt to convince the wizarding world the Dark Lord had not returned. The article went on to say that the DKV membership never truly knew the leader they purported to follow and commented on the number of DKV members rescinding their membership and the resulting collapse of the organization.

The paper was peppered with columns from other columnists following in Rita's footsteps, the verdict and highlights of Hermione's trial with excerpts of the transcripts, Rita Skeeter's obituary and reprints of her stirring editorial that woke up the wizarding world. Details about her funeral arrangements were also listed. There would be a public memorial service for the witch. No doubt it would be standing room only. Rita had died a martyr and a heroine after all.

There were also a number of smaller interviews with DKV members who had decided to leave the organization, who said they got a wake-up call. Most were apologetic and declined to have their names included in the pieces. A write-up about Cronnie Jockrin was also prominently featured. The wizard informed the press he was going to write a book about Hermione's trial, including bits that were not introduced into the trial. It would be called: "The Breaking of the DKV: The Hermione Granger Story"

Also featured was an announcement about Lord Draco Malfoy's resignation from the Ministry Council, and a call for the impeachment of the other Council members and new elections. There was also a poll asking readers if Hermione Granger should return to the Ministry in the position of Spells Department Head. The respondents were equally divided over the issue.

But Hermione Granger had enough of the Ministry. The witch had more important things to do, such as break the spell on the DKV Dark Mark before Voldemort utilized it. Of course, there was the income issue. She didn't have a job now. Severus' monthly support could tide her over, but Hermione was used to making her own way. She wasn't about to stop now. Actually, Hermione could find a job anywhere now. She was a hero and the private sector would pay good galleons for her Spells Mistress talents, not to mention her administrative skills. But Hermione didn't want that…not yet anyway. Not while the threat of Voldemort still loomed over wizarding society.

Suddenly the floo in the Headmaster's office turned green.

"Headmaster, are you in?" a female voice called.

Albus folded the newspaper and placed it on his desk. He had been expecting this.

"Why yes Poppy, I am," he responded.

A bit of silence followed.

"I wonder Headmaster, if you might have a moment or two?" the medi-witch asked

""For you, Poppy, I have more than a moment or two," the Headmaster replied, removing the ward on the fireplace with a wave of his hand. "Please come to my office."

Poppy stepped through the flames. The medi-witch was dressed in a long-sleeved white uniform and blue pocketed apron, her gray hair wrapped up in a bun and her white cap pinned down securely to her locks. But the witch's face was drawn, and she looked exhausted as she sat down across from Albus, who looked very concerned.

"Poppy, you look like you've been dragged through Hogwarts by your heels," the Headmaster said.

Poppy looked down at her hands.

"The last few days have been difficult, Albus. All this DKV business," the medi-witch said.

"I imagine it is quite disappointing to find out you unwittingly joined an evil organization," the Headmaster said quietly.

Poppy nodded, then looked up at the Headmaster, her eyes full of tears.

"Oh Albus, I've been such a fool. I let my anger at my husband take me over and tried to segregate a whole segment of people entitled to the same rights I am. It was as if my mind were taken over by hate. I shouldn't have blamed the many for the actions of a few. I'm so ashamed of myself," the witch sobbed.

Albus pulled a handkerchief out of his robes and handed it to Poppy, who wiped at her eyes. The wizard tapped his fingers together as the witch composed herself.

"We are all human, Poppy. Pain can lead us to do things we wouldn't ordinarily do, accept things we wouldn't ordinarily accept. You were trapped in your pain and the DKV gave you an outlet for it. Everyone in that organization had some deep-set anger and resentment at the world. The muggle-borns were convenient scapegoats. What matters now is that you've seen the error of your ways, my dear," the Headmaster said gently.

Poppy sniffed and nodded.

"I went down to the DKV headquarters and withdrew from membership. I had to wait in line for hours, there were so many people there," she said. "But they informed me that the Mark I received is permanent. It can't be removed. I'm cursed to wear it for the rest of my days or until Voldemort dies," she said, her voice trembling. "And he's almost an immortal. Why was I so stupid? Now I am marked with my shame for life."

Dumbledore's eyes darkened.

"Poppy…now that you realize the DKV for what it is, there is something I need to tell you. Few people know this, but that mark is much more than that. It is a direct link to Voldemort himself. Through that mark, Poppy…you can be manipulated. Forced to do anything. Voldemort was creating an army. An army meant to destroy the wizarding world. Even though you've withdrawn from the DKV my dear, you are still in effect, his minion. I'm sorry," the wizard said.

Poppy clapped her hand over her mouth with horror.

"No," she whispered. "No Albus…tell me that's not true!"

The Headmaster shook his head sadly.

"I'm afraid it's true, Poppy. I have it on good authority from someone on the inside of Voldemort's inner circle," the wizard said. "Someone who witnessed a wizard kill his own family by Voldemort's command through the cursed thing."

Poppy's eyes widened in horror at first, then narrowed as she looked at the wizard..

"How long have you known about this, Albus?" she asked him angrily.

"A number of years now," the wizard said.

"Why didn't you say anything…or do anything?" the witch demanded.

Albus leveled his eyes at her.

"Knowing I am the leader of the Order, and against Voldemort, do you think, Poppy that indoctrinated as you were, you would have believed me? Would any DKV member have believed me? No. You would have thought I was trying to attack the organization with lies," the Headmaster said.

Poppy's eyes went dull as she realized the wizard was right. She would have thought he was trying to attack the organization and spreading lies in an attempt to discredit it.

"We initially tried to subtly examine and study the mark to divine the spell that give it its power, but then the DKV instructed its members to avoid all testing on it, and we were without subjects. No one would come forward, so our hands were tied," Albus explained, "Besides, we cannot let Voldemort know we know the secret purpose of the Mark. It might make him utilize it. Over one hundred thousand citizens of the wizarding world carry that mark. The carnage would be terrible," the wizard continued.

"What…what can we do then?" Poppy asked him, "We can't let him use this mark!"

Albus lifted his hand to calm the witch.

"I know, Poppy. But now that the DKV is dissolved, I am sure that many people would be willing to let us study the mark. The only thing is, the more people we have involved, the more likely the information we know about the Mark will get back to Voldemort," the wizard said. "And once he knows we know, Poppy…it could be the end of society as we know it. He might decide that if he cannot rule the wizarding world as he wishes, he will destroy it instead and invoke the mark, causing people to murder each other until no one is left standing."

"As long as he thinks his true purpose remains undiscovered, he will be focused on a targeted takeover. In order to come into power, he will have to be able to restore order and have a force in place to enforce martial law. He does have a number of loyal inner circle deatheaters. We believe about four thousand or so. It seems a small amount of individuals compared to the thousands in the wizarding world, but if they are well organized, they can effect shut the wizarding world down. It would be a matter of rendering the already decimated masses magicless. In other words, collecting their wands in exchange for a promised peace. Most will be so tired and broken from the bloodshed, they will capitulate when they see the semblance of order."

Albus looked thoughtful.

"I imagine he will also be planning to take Gringotts as well. There is no better way to curtail a society than to control its wealth. But he will have his work cut out for him if he decides to do this. He may not, opting to control the people instead and collect their wealth another way. But the goblins are fierce and powerful and the bank is well protected. They will put up a fight and are probably at this moment forming their own contingency plan in the event Voldemort's forces attack them. So the wizard will remain quite busy if we do not show our hand," the wizard said.

Poppy looked thoughtful for a moment, then leveled her eyes at the Headmaster. She drew in a deep breath, then said what was on her mind.

"Headmaster…instead of testing people on the outside, why not just use me? I carry the mark, and I am here at Hogwarts. No one would have to know anything," the witch said.

Albus looked at her. He had hoped the medi-witch would volunteer all along.

"That is an excellent idea, Poppy!" he exclaimed.

The witch smiled. She could do something to make up for her foolishness, and maybe play a role in saving their society.

"We could start right away," Poppy said, "I have a large, unused lab and office in the infirmary, so I wouldn't even have to leave the premises. The tests and research could be done there."

Albus nodded.

"Yes. Yes they could, Poppy," he beamed at her, elated that he had his medi-witch back. He only wished he could restore her memories…but they were gone forever. She would have to make new ones.

"And Albus, I would like to join the Order of the Phoenix," the witch said.

Albus' eyes darkened as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Poppy…but because you carry Voldemort's mark, it wouldn't be wise," he said softly.

Yes. That made sense. If anyone in the Order's ranks carried the mark and it was invoked, they could do damage from within.

"But your contribution will be extremely important in the fight, Poppy. You may be the key to breaking the Mark," the Headmaster said.

Yes. There was that.

Poppy stood up.

"I am going to start cleaning up the lab," she said in a business-like manner. "There are also private rooms there that I don't utilize. Perhaps someone could use them."

Albus nodded.

"I have the perfect person in mind," he said to the medi-witch, smiling broadly, "if she accepts my offer to work for the Order."

"Who, Headmaster?" Poppy inquired.

"The best researcher and Spells Mistress I know," he replied, "Hermione Granger."

* * *

Mathias wasted no time sharing his new-found sexual knowledge with Andreas, drawing a diagram, pointing out the important parts and instructing him with the same headings his father used. 

Andreas listened intently, his eyebrows raised. He didn't have a pensieve but Mathias described both scenarios in such detail that by the time he finished both boys had huge erections. Then he realized Andreas could see the blue pensieve by occlumency and they did that too, which made their ample erections even more ample.

"Gods, I wish I could just do it already," Mathias complained as he tried to adjust his boxers. "But Jasmine doesn't know I know she's supposed to be Voldemort's consort yet. I'm still going to give her a chance to tell me."

Andreas looked thoughtful, and a million miles away. Suddenly he spoke.

"I will not need one of those headings," he informed Mathias.

"What do you mean?" the wizard asked him.

"Dana is not a virgin. I won't have to deflower her," the black wizard said, "I will only have to be good. Now that I know all this, I think I can be very good."

"She told you that?" Mathias asked him.

Mathias thought it would make him uncomfortable to know someone else had shagged a witch he wanted when he was still a virgin. It would be like he was in competition with a ghost. Andreas didn't seem to mind, however.

The wizard shook his head.

"No, she didn't tell me, but I know," Andreas said, "I saw a small part of it when I spoke to her last. She knows I want her, and it came into her mind very clearly as if jumping out at me. I think she will tell me before we do it, but it doesn't matter."

Andreas had been walking Dana to her classes daily and being very attentive to the witch. He had yet to take her out. She wanted to go to Hogwarts and have lunch at Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Andreas groaned inwardly at this. All that pink. But, like most men in lust, he capitulated. He was supposed to take her this coming Saturday. He was hoping he could get a kiss from her. He was sure once she kissed him, she would find him irresistible and it would speed up the shagging process. Andreas wanted to take the witch before they faced Voldemort. He didn't want to die a virgin.

"Knowing she wasn't a virgin would make me nervous. What if the wizard she was with was better than you?" Mathias asked Andreas.

"He won't be. I will do everything," the wizard replied.

Mathias looked at Andreas with his eyebrows raised.

"Everything? Even lick her?" Mathias asked him.

Andreas nodded.

"I watched the cattle mate when I visited my grandparents. The bulls do it to the cows before they take them…so it is natural. Your father said it makes witches meltdown. I want Dana to meltdown for me," the wizard said matter-of-factly.

Mathias hoped he could make Jasmine meltdown without having to do that. He still hadn't come to terms with it.

Andreas looked at Mathias.

"Mathias…did it ever occur to you that Jasmine might not want you to deflower her?" Andreas asked the wizard.

Mathias looked at him, blinking. He really hadn't thought of that. He was thinking it was the most logical way to handle the situation of keeping Voldemort from deflowering the witch, and that Jasmine would go along with it because it was so logical. Despite what she said to him the night he kissed her, Mathias knew Jasmine liked him in the way witches liked wizards. But Andreas was right. She still might say no.

And since Jasmine felt she was destined to be Voldemort's consort…she wouldn't even consider letting him court her. Maybe he should take advantage of their training. Use the physical contact between them to try and arouse her.

No. That wouldn't be right, and might make her angry. She'd think he was a pervert. Making Jasmine angry wouldn't help. Mathias already knew that contact with the witch would feel different since he viewed the pensieve. He was going to have a hard enough time maintaining control of his own reactions without trying to induce reactions in her.

"If she says no, I will have to make her see reason, Andreas. I'll have to tell her about the ROR and what happened," Mathias said. "I am also going to have to tell her our plan to kill Voldemort and that we have to go with her in order to try and do it. If we fail, Andreas, I don't want him to take her still."

"If he kills us, he'll probably kill her too, Mathias. I don't think he will want to shag her after he learns she brought us with her," Andreas said.

"I just want to be sure," Mathias said soberly.

"When are you going to tell your father about our plan?" Andreas asked him.

"After we perfect the attack in the ROR. Then we can let him watch what we plan to do, rather than tell him. If he sees there is a chance we will be successful, he might not try to stop us," Mathias said.

Andreas nodded.

"Yes, but there is still the issue of just how we will get into Voldemort's chambers," Andreas said. "We can't just walk into his stronghold. We have to know how we are going to do that before we present the plan to your father," Andreas said.

"I already have the answer to that, I think," Mathias said. "Mum's going to help us. Or one of mum's inventions she was working on when she got replaced at the Ministry. It was a private project. A charm for the Aurors that could conceal them and their signatures so they could do surveillance or ambushes. She had me help her test them one weekend when dad brought me by for a few hours."

"She turned herself into a book and a piece of parchment. I had to try and find her magical signature both times. I couldn't because the charm dampens it. She was undetectable. It works like transformation but the power to transform comes from the charm. The wearer can turn into an inanimate object until he needs to reveal himself."

"That's perfect," Andreas said, smiling broadly. "We can be jewelry or something. Jasmine can wear us."

"Yes. But the charms are at mum's house, locked up in her lab. I'm going to have to break her wards and steal them. It's going to be hard because she'll have her signature on them…but I've broken her wards before."

"How soon can you do this?" Andreas asked him.

"I don't know. I have to see what mum's going to do first. But I think since she doesn't work for the Ministry anymore, she's probably going to work on solving the riddle of the Dark Mark. Most likely she'll forget about the charms for a while. She's like that when she'd focused on something else," Mathias said.

He knew his mother. He looked at Andreas.

"You know something? I think it's better mum doesn't work for the Ministry anymore. Now she can sell her spells to them and get residuals, like dad does for his potions. She'll make more money," Mathias said, "They were really stupid to let her go."

"It is a good thing they did, or the DKV would still be in power," Andreas said.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Mathias called in his deepest, most unfriendly voice.

"It's Jasmine," came the irritated reply. She hated when Mathias answered the door like that.

Both boys were at half-mast now, and Andreas was wearing his robes. But Mathias was in his boxers and his erection began to grow again.

"Shit," he hissed. "Wait a minute, Jasmine."

Jasmine crossed her arms and tapped her foot, scowling. Andreas and Mathias always made her feel as if they had secrets they were hiding from her.

Severus had told Mathias to think of something disturbing to calm himself. He hated to do it, but he brought the image of Voldemort killing his parents to mind. The image was heartbreakingly clear, and his body quickly wound down. He pulled on a pair of sweat pants for extra coverage, then nodded at Andreas to open the door.

Jasmine stalked in and looked at both boys suspiciously.

"What were you doing?" she asked them, looking from one to the other with narrowed eyes.

Both boys shrugged, not knowing what to say to the irate witch.

Mathias liked to see Jasmine all riled up. Her eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed and her mouth pursed as if for a kiss. And she got very snarky.

Jasmine knew they weren't going to tell her anything.

"Your father wants you and Andreas to come to his rooms. Your mother's there, and the Headmaster and a couple of other staff members and they are having a little celebration about your mum's acquittal," Jasmine said, deflating a little.

Mathias noticed this. He shifted to aura view and saw that she was feeling left out and alone. He shifted back.

"You're coming, aren't you Jasmine?" Mathias asked as he retrieved his robes out of his wardrobe.

"I was invited…but I don't really think I should go…my father was the one who caused all your mother's problems, Mathias," Jasmine said quietly.

Mathias scowled at her as he fastened his robes.

"You're not your father, Jasmine. You're one of my closest friends. You're coming with us," he said in a commanding, no nonsense voice.

Jasmine put her hands on her hips as Andreas got out of the way.

"Mathias Snape, how dare you try to order me about as if you…you…owned me!" she sniped.

Mathias nodded slightly to Andreas, who opened the door and exited, leaving it open.

Mathias finished fastening his robes and looked at Jasmine imperiously. Suddenly his hand shot out and he grabbed her wrist tightly, twisting her arm around her back and wrapping his arm around her throat, pulling her back against him. He'd caught the witch off-guard. She made a few efforts to break his hold, but Mathias was still more skilled than she was. If he got the upper hand on her, he usually kept it.

The wizard placed his lips close to her ear, sniffing her hair a little.

"Right now I do own you, Jasmine Malfoy," he said rather silkily, "And I swear I will walk you through the common room in front of everyone just like this if you don't agree to come with us to my mother's celebration. We can't be a trio without you. Now, promise you'll come."

Mathias couldn't help but notice how soft her buttocks felt against him and he quickly pulled his hips back, because he was reacting to having her in such a compromising position. He was very tempted to move her hair out of the way and kiss her neck, remembering what his father had said about witches' throats.

Jasmine sighed.

"All right. I'll go. Now let go of me," she said. She didn't sound so angry anymore.

Jasmine really did want to go to the celebration. She was glad Mathias' mother got off. Knowing Mathias really wanted her there made her feel more welcome, even if he did have to literally twist her arm to make her go.

Mathias released her then strode past her to the door, where he stopped.

"Well, get moving witch," he said, gesturing towards the open door.

Jasmine scowled at him and stalked past, her nose in the air.

Mathias smirked and followed, closing the door and warding it behind them.

* * *

Hermione and Albus were huddled in a corner talking in low tones when Mathias, Jasmine and Andreas arrived. A buffet table with a number of finger foods was set up in Severus' study, and there were a number of chairs scattered about. Another table held libations. A banner that read, "Congratulations, Hermione!" was draped from corner to corner over the fireplace. Almost the entire Hogwarts staff was present, chatting and enjoying themselves. 

The Potions Master was leaning against his liquor cabinet, scowling at the staff members milling about his private rooms. He had never suffered an invasion like this before becoming involved with Hermione. He knew it was a special occasion, but still. He glanced over at the witch who was in a deep conversation with Albus and his scowl grew blacker. He had wanted to celebrate her victory in a completely different way.

Mathias looked around the room.

"Dad must hate this," he thought to himself.

He saw his father scowling in the direction of his mother.

"Yep. He hates it all right," the young wizard thought, smirking a little.

The Potions Master was not a social man. Only Hermione could make him accept a bunch of people in his rooms. Well, Hermione and Albus. This little celebration had been the Headmaster's idea. Severus couldn't very well say no.

Albus and Hermione shook hands and parted, both beaming. Hermione's amber eyes fell on Mathias, who cringed a little.

"Here it comes," he thought as his mother bustled toward him, pulled him down and planted a couple of kisses on his pale face.

"Hi mum. Congrats on not moving into Azkaban," he said, a bit red at being publicly kissed like a baby by his mother, but giving her a smirk anyway.

Hermione laughed.

"Thank you, Mathias," she said. Then she turned to Andreas and Jasmine.

"Hello you two," she said, smiling at the pair.

"Hello Miss Granger," Andreas said, bowing slightly to her. "Congratulations on your victory."

Hermione liked Andreas. He had beautiful manners.

"Thank you, Andreas," she said.

Her eyes fell on Jasmine. She was such a lovely girl. She wondered what kind of problems she had being a Malfoy. One thing was for sure…she was nothing like her father.

Jasmine stepped forward.

"Yes, congratulations, Miss Granger," she said, her eyes shining wetly.

"Thank you, Jasmine," Hermione said, taking her hand. "I'm glad it's over."

Jasmine nodded.

Severus watched Hermione interact with Mathias and his friends, wondering what she and Albus were talking about. The witch pointed to the buffet and libations tables, evidently telling the youngsters to help themselves, then walked toward him.

Hermione took one look at the Potions Master's expression and put her hands on her hips.

"Really Severus. You're the host. Stop looking so disgusted," she chided him.

"But I am disgusted. Look at all these people gadding about, spilling pumpkin juice and liquor all over my floors, dropping bits of food. I'm going to get roaches," he muttered. "I'll be glad when they leave. Then we can celebrate in the proper fashion."

Hermione looked up at him with a rather sober expression.

Severus' scowl got darker.

"What?" he asked. He wasn't going to let her deny him a celebratory shag.

"Um, I won't be here tonight, Severus. The trial's over now, so I'm going to go," she said softly.

"Go?" Severus echoed. "Go where?"

"Home, Severus. You know…that place where I live," she replied.

The Potions Master looked at her. He had become used to Hermione in his bed every night. He hadn't thought she'd leave so soon.

"Why tonight? Can't you leave tomorrow? In the morning?" he asked her a bit angrily.

Hermione shook her head.

"Severus, I am grateful that you took me in…but…you haven't been off me since I got here. It's as if I were your private little joy doll. I'm exhausted. I want to get a full night's sleep," she said. "I haven't had one in over a week."

"I'll let you sleep," the Potions Master lied.

Hermione arched an eyebrow at him. They both knew that wasn't true. Severus seemed unable to spend a night with Hermione without taking her. Hermione would try to protest, but Severus was very persuasive.

"I only want a little bit, witch," he'd purr at her as he kissed and caressed her until she gave in.

Well, Hermione wanted her body and her control back. The sexual domination of Hermione Granger was officially over. At least until she felt randy again.

"I'm going, Severus," Hermione said. "Anyway, I have to make preparations to close up the house for a while."

"Close the house? Whatever for?" the wizard asked her, somewhat alarmed. Was she going someplace?

"Albus has offered me a paying position as a researcher for the Order, and I've accepted it. I will be moving into the private rooms adjoining the lab in the infirmary here at Hogwarts. Poppy has agreed to let me work on solving the Dark Mark problem with her as my subject," Hermione said.

Severus eyebrow quirked. This was an excellent development on a couple of levels. Firstly, Hermione would be back on the job. She was an excellent researcher and Spells Mistress. With a dedicated effort, she might be able to crack the spell on the mark. Secondly, she would be at Hogwarts with her own private rooms…much more available to him. He could floo to her rooms. Still, he would like one more night with the witch. Life was about to become very busy for the both of them.

"This is a wonderful development, Hermione," he said to her, and he meant it. "However, with all that will be happening, it may be some time before we can be intimate again."

"That will only make it sweeter when we are," the witch replied, walking away from him to mingle with the other staff members.

Well. That was that. Hermione had her power back.

The Potions Master walked over to the buffet and plucked a small chicken wing from a platter. He bit into it, watching the witch as he chewed.

She really was an amazing woman.

* * *

"Lower him," Voldemort said, putting the scourge back on the rolling cart. 

A deatheater turned a crank connected to the chains that held Draco a foot off the floor. The naked, bloody wizard dropped to the floor unconscious. His body was badly striped, but the Dark Lord had done nowhere near the damage he would do to Severus. Draco simply wasn't strong enough to survive the torment. And Voldemort wanted him alive.

"Clean him up a bit, Peter," Voldemort said, returning to his throne.

Peter Pettigrew walked up to the fallen wizard with a bucket of well-salted water and threw it over him. Draco screamed weakly as the water washed the excess blood away, and the salt burned his wounds.

Draco had been quite vocal while being tortured and beaten by Voldemort for his failure, which satisfied the dark wizard immensely. Voldemort looked down on the wizard, his red eyes glittering.

"You really should be killed for your idiocy, Draco. You let a personal vendetta again Severus' mudblood whore destroy what we worked so hard to build over the years. But…I was tiring of politics anyway. It is simply too much work and too little actual bloodshed. I much prefer this. You are quite lucky," the Dark Lord said.

He motioned to several deatheater females.

"Take him and tend to his wounds," he said.

The women lifted Draco from the floor gently and escorted him through a door.

Peter, standing next to the throne, bowed deeply and said, "You were most merciful, my Lord."

Voldemort looked at him.

"Mercy had nothing to do with it, Peter. Despite his showing this week, Draco is not a complete idiot. He knows how to organize. I need his talents to set up my coup. On New Year's Eve at midnight, I plan to invoke the mark and send the wizarding world into war. Wizards and witches will begin killing indiscriminately…hundreds of thousands will die in a matter of hours. Then I and my deatheaters will come and restore order, and put the wizarding world under military rule."

"Afterwards, I will execute all the unsuitables that survived…muggle-borns heading the list. I hope Dumbledore survives. I want to put him to death myself, slowly as well as that pain in my ass, Harry Potter and his family. After I have disposed of the opposition, my true rule will begin. And it will be glorious, Peter. The muggle world will be next. They cannot deal with magic. It should be an easy victory," Voldemort said in a high-pitched, rather dreamy voice.

Peter nodded enthusiastically.

"You will be Lord of the World, my Lord," the wizard said, knowing his words would please Voldemort. Peter was a master of the suck-up.

"Yes. Yes I will, Peter," the Dark Lord replied, a thin smile on his face. "All will bend their knees to my Greatness."

"That they will, my Lord. That they will," Peter simpered.

* * *

Several hours later, Draco was brought back to the Dark Lord. He had been given healing potions and had his wounds sealed. He was still in some pain, however. The wizard was thankful he hadn't been killed. 

He dropped to one knee in front of Voldemort.

"I am here, my Lord," Draco said, his eyes on the floor.

Voldemort's eyes swept over the blondewizard. They had given him fresh robes and his hair was neatly combed. He looked presentable enough.

"Draco, I plan to invoke my mark at midnight on New Year's Eve. We have until then to formulate a plan to place me in a position of power. I have almost five thousand original deatheaters at my disposal, though many have gone soft over the years because of the political turn my quest for power took. Only my inner circle remains in top fighting condition. Now I am back at square one and haven't much time. I need you to advise me," the wizard said, "You may rise and look at me."

Draco's mind started working the moment the Dark Lord gave the date he planned to unleash the one hundred thousand marked individuals on the wizarding world.

First my Lord, you must delegate power among the deatheaters of your inner circle. They must become secondary leaders to direct your ranks," the wizard said.

Voldemort didn't like this idea. He didn't want to give anyone power besides himself and told Draco so.

"But my Lord, although your power is great, greater than that of any other wizard in existence," the wizard said, stroking Voldemort's ego even as he disputed with him, hoping not to get crucio'd, "The fact is the mayhem will be spread all over the wizarding world, and to restore order, you will have to send deatheaters to every part of it. They will have to give the ranks directions while there, my Lord, or they will not be successful."

Voldemort looked at him, then nodded.

"But, Draco…as skilled as my inner circle is, none of them have true leadership or military experience. They are not a true army," the Dark Lord said.

Draco thought about this.

"I could find military men from the muggle world to train them, my Lord. Train them to lead and train your ranks to be more effective. They teach men to kill for pay," the wizard said.

"But what do they know about magic, Draco?" Voldemort asked. "They don't know our ways."

"These kind of men are very adaptable, my Lord. A wand is still a weapon. It is pointed just as a gun is, my Lord. They can still teach the ranks. However, you will have to make it clear to your deatheaters they are not to kill them. Training is very brutal I understand, and they psychologically browbeat men into shape as well," Draco said.

Voldemort kind of liked the sound of that.

"Very well, Draco. Your first duty will be to find muggles willing to train my ranks. You must find them within the week. If you fail me, Draco…I will not be as merciful as I was today," the Dark Lord said warningly.

Draco bowed to the red-eyed wizard, wincing against the pain.

"I will not fail you in this, my Lord. I promise you this on my life," the wizard said.

"Your life will be exactly what I require if you do, Draco," the Dark Lord replied. "You may go."

Draco bowed again and disapparated to his Manor. He had to make preparations. He was going to America. Para-military groups abounded there, as well as mercenaries. He was sure he could hire the best there was.

Draco knew the Dark Lord expected him to finance this endeavor as well. He would have to go to Gringotts and exchange galleons for dollars. A large amount of them.

* * *

Hermione disillusioned and put a silencing spell on herself before she disapparated from Severus' bedroom, overnight bag in tow. She barely managed to make it out of his rooms, the Potions Master was so intent on getting one parting shag. He had trapped her against the bedroom wall several times, coming very close to molesting her. Hermione finally had to stomp on his foot to make him stop. Severus had glared at her and stormed from the room rather than strike her. He had been furious. 

He'd get over it.

When she arrived at her house, she found piles and piles of flowers and thank yous on the sidewalk outside of the dump illusion. But no one was around. Hermione smiled then entered her house, setting her bag down, removing the disillusionment spell and letting out a contented sigh. She was home…in her element again. It felt good.

But she wouldn't be here more than a night. It wouldn't take much to close up the house and she intended to leave it disillusioned. A thief couldn't rob what he couldn't see after all.

Wow. She was going to be back at Hogwarts. True she had been there for the past week, but she couldn't leave the Potions Master's rooms. But now she could. And she could see Mathias more often as well. She missed her son greatly, and could feel him slowly pulling away from her. Well, that's what it felt like. She knew in her heart he was just growing up and becoming independent.

Hermione was also mad at Severus, which was part of the reason she wouldn't sleep with him before she left Hogwarts. While preparing for their guests to arrive, she questioned him about what happened the night before. Severus wouldn't tell her what Mathias wanted to talk to him about. She accused the wizard of keeping secrets from her.

"Hermione," Severus had responded, "If Mathias wanted you to know that, don't you believe he would have talked to you, rather than me? You are asking me to break my son's trust. And that I will not do," he said evenly. "I value his trust much too much. He needs to feel he can talk to me and it won't go any further."

Hermione knew the Potions Master was right, but became sulky anyway. In all probability, her anger was what prompted her to leave today, rather than tomorrow. In effect, the witch was punishing the wizard. It wasn't fair, but it was her prerogative. She could say no if she wanted to.

Hermione walked to her bedroom and set her overnight bag on the bed, opened it, and put away her things. She stripped down to her bra and knickers and climbed into the bed to catch up on some sleep. She would get up late in the night and do what she needed to do…which basically was clean out the cooler and reduce what she needed to take to Hogwarts with her. She would ward the house securely when she left.

She was ready to start work immediately.

* * *

"Mum's what?" Mathias asked his father incredulously as they sat in his Head of House office. 

"She is going to be staying at Hogwarts," Severus replied, amused at his son's consternation.

Mathias clapped his hand over his face.

"Oh no. Not mum," he sighed. He looked between his fingers at his father before he lowered his hand and sighed again.

Severus smirked.

"You don't seem over enthusiastic about your mother staying here," he said to his son.

"I'm not. You know how nosey she can be, dad. She'll be swooping down on me every five minutes," the boy complained, scowling.

Severus chuckled.

"I highly doubt that, Mathias. Your mother will be quite focused. More than likely she won't have time for either one of us," Severus said soberly. His dark eyes narrowed as he thought about the witch stomping on his foot.

"You really think so?" Mathias said, sounding hopeful.

"I'm sure of it," Severus muttered.

"Excellent!" Mathias said, grinning broadly.

Severus looked at his son with irritation.

"Don't you have something to do Mathias?" the Potions Master asked the young wizard. He was in a terrible mood now and wanted to be left alone.

"Well, I was hoping to go to Order Headquarters tonight to get in some ROR training," the boy replied. He and Andreas had talked Tonks into letting them have unsupervised time in the ROR room if they finished their workouts early.

Tonks agreed to this, because the boys worked hard and took their lessons seriously. They had become very good fighters in a short time. They were entitled to explore the ROR scenarios further. It wouldn't hurt them in any case.

She just hoped they weren't shagging golems down there.

Severus looked at Mathias with a bit of aggravation…but he had a responsibility to the boy. No need acting selfishly because he was angry with the boy's mother.

"Fine. You and Andreas go get ready, and I'll take you," the Potions Master said.

"Thanks dad," Mathias said rising and quickly exiting his office.

Severus watched him go, then sighed.

This night wasn't going at all like he wanted.

* * *

Hermione moved into the private rooms in the infirmary the next day. She didn't bring much with her. The rooms were already furnished, consisting of a study, a small kitchen, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. The smaller bathroom only contained a shower, the master bedroom had a huge sunken tub and a separate enclosed shower. She found them more than adequate for her needs. 

The lab had been scrubbed and cleaned, and had some equipment. Since this was basically spells work, Hermione only really needed a blackboard, plenty of parchment and quills for notes, and a wand. In this case she also needed a subject with the Mark, and she had one in Poppy, who was chomping to get working on this problem.

First Hermione tested the Mark to see if she could discern Voldemort's signature. She couldn't. Voldemort was extremely careful to protect it. Using an amplification spell she had developed herself, Hermione tested the mark for any type of magical signature or pulse.

At first she found nothing, but continued checking stubbornly, and became frustrated when Poppy had to leave several times to attend to students…but Hermione hopped right back on the thestral when the medi-witch returned. That afternoon, Hermione detected a very, very weak pulse of magic using her adapted spell. It was a breakthrough though the pulse was too weak to get a handle on, having been amplified as much as it could be with that particular spell.

What Hermione needed to do was make the pulse stronger so she could reproduce it. Once she reproduced it, she could let Poppy go and work on the pulse alone. But the medi-witch would still be needed if this magical pulse was not the source of the Mark's power.

Hermione had to stop working on the Mark for a number of weeks as she worked on developing a stronger amplification spell. During this period, both Severus and Mathias only saw Hermione during supper. Dumbledore made her promise to leave the lab at least once a day, so of course Hermione made it the last meal of the day. Both Mathias and Severus were a bit alarmed at the witch's appearance.

Hermione would enter the Great Hall every evening as if she had wandered in by mistake and looked distracted as she mechanically ate her food. Her hair was a mass of hastily pinned down tangles and the witch looked as if it had been a long time since she saw a shower…most likely she was scourgifying herself each day to save time. Scourgifying did clean the body, but it didn't always look clean, and Hermione had a decidedly unwashed look about her.

She barely even greeted Severus…giving him a "hi" as she walked past him, her mind totally occupied by her work. Mathias, who had hoped his mother would give him a wide berth, was a bit unsettled that she didn't even look toward his table when in the Great Hall. Although Hermione embarrassed him with her affectionate displays of kissing him all over his face, or waving at him animatedly…Mathias still secretly liked his mother making a fuss over him. She was his mum after all. Her apparent lack of care or concern troubled him.

One evening, after Hermione wandered into supper, ate her meal and departed without a word to either of the men in her life, Mathias walked up the dais to his father and sat down next to him, concern on his face. He didn't care that all the student body was watching him. Students weren't supposed to sit at the Head table unless by invitation of the Headmaster. But Mathias was Snape's son, so got special treatment. At least that is what the other students thought.

Albus saw the boy sit down, but didn't say anything. He knew that it had to be something important passing between the two for the boy to do that. Albus returned to his meal.

"Dad, we've got to help mum. She's working too hard. Can't you do anything?" the boy asked Severus, "She looks awful. She's like a bagwitch or something."

"That's your mother's standard mode of operation, son. She's forgotten about us," Severus said evenly. "Her work is all she knows."

It pained him to see Hermione like this, but Severus had known the witch would be exactly this way, neglecting herself and those she loved for the sake of knowledge and in the hope of success. The Potions Master hadn't touched or really talked to her in over a month, and the wizard was feeling her absence badly.

"Well, I'm going to get her to take a break," Mathias said firmly.

"And just how do you plan to do that, son?" Severus asked him, an eyebrow arched.

Mathias looked at him.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe drag her out of the infirmary."

"Then what will you do with her?" Severus asked him.

Mathias shrugged.

Severus looked at his boy and sighed. Even if Mathias could get her out of the infirmary, he wouldn't be able to keep her out for long. He had no place to restrain her.

But Severus did. He looked at his son.

"All right, Mathias…I'll do something about your mother. Don't worry," the Potions Master said.

"Please do it soon, dad. She's killing herself," the boy said.

Severus watched Mathias exit the Great Hall, then looked over at Dumbledore. He rose and walked down to the old wizard.

"May I speak to you a moment, Headmaster?" Severus asked the wizard.

Albus beamed up at him.

"Why of course, Severus," the wizard replied, gesturing toward the empty seat beside him.

Severus sat down.

"Headmaster, Hermione needs to take a break from her work. She looks terrible and I doubt that she is taking care of herself properly. I want your permission to remove her from the labs for a couple of days," Severus said. "I know she won't come willingly, so I may have to use rather tough tactics on the witch. As brilliant as Hermione is, she isn't at her best when she is exhausted. And by the look of her, she is almost past exhaustion. She needs a rest, sir."

Albus nodded.

"Poppy came to me with the same issue, complaining she instructed Hermione to take three days off, but the witch won't comply. You have my permission to take matters into your own hands, Severus. Just don't be too harsh," the Headmaster said, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses.

He had a feeling the Potions Master was going to enjoy this.

* * *

Voldemort sat listening to the fatigue-clad, rough-looking muggle in front of him explain how his ranks needed to be divided after studying a map of the wizarding world as a whole. The wizard had to admit, the muggle knew what he was talking about. He was also quite impressed that when the man saw him, he didn't evidence any shock or fear but immediately accepted him. The only thing that irked the wizard was that the muggle called him "Mr. Dark Lord." He thought that was an American thing however, so let the muggle get away with it. 

"A brigade of five thousand trained men is enough for a coup, Mr. Dark Lord sir, if you have them positioned properly. We can break your ranks down as follows and you can see what I mean. One brigade of five-thousand, broken down into five battalions of one thousand, which is further broken down to fifty companies of one hundred men each, which then is separated into one hundred platoons of fifty men, and these platoons can be broken down into five hundred squads of ten men each. So you see, Mr. Dark Lord, you can restore order with your men, if they are properly trained and positioned. And I can train them for you sir. Have them ready in ninety days. It would take longer if they were actually going to be fighting another force, but you only need them for cleanup and to restore order among an already decimated group."

Draco smiled at the muggle and looked at Voldemort, who studied the man.

"What is your name again?" the Dark Lord asked the muggle.

"Douglas, sir," the muggle replied.

"You know we use magic, do you not?" the Dark Lord inquired.

"Yes sir. But it is all point and shoot. Magic is better than guns because you can use a variety of spells to take out an enemy. My team and I can still teach them how to use their wands in this kind of situation," he said confidently.

"I see," Voldemort said, "I hope you realize Douglas, that I don't take failure well. Not being paid wouldn't be your only worry if you fail," the Dark Lord said.

"Mr. Dark Lord, sir, almost everyone I've ever trained troops for has the same attitude as you do. I know how much is riding on this, sir. I can whip your men into shape as I said. We only need a place to train," Douglas said.

"Very well, you shall have it. How soon can you start?" Voldemort asked him.

"It will take a week to build all of the sets and courses," Douglas said.

"No. This is the magical world…you will be able to have all you need erected in less than a day," Voldemort said.

"Well, Mr. Dark Lord sir, after the training camps are erected we can start whenever you can get your ranks together for training," Douglas replied.

"Three days," Voldemort hissed, his tongue flicking out. Douglas didn't blink.

"Three days it is, sir," Douglas replied.

Voldemort eyed Douglas a moment, then nodded at two female deatheaters lounging against the wall. They walked forward.

"Take Mr. Douglas and show him the Dark Lord's gratitude," the wizard said.

The witches curtsied, then looped their arms through Douglas' and walked the smiling muggle through a door on the far end of the throne room.

"Thank you Mr. Dark Lord sir," the muggle called back before the door closed behind him.

Voldemort looked at Draco, who kept a sober look on his face, though the gods knew he wanted to smile in victory. Obviously the Dark Lord found Douglas suitable.

"You've done well, Draco. We will use Douglas and his team to train my ranks, then kill them. I don't need such men in the muggle world when I plan to take it over as well," the Dark Lord said.

"I agree, my Lord," Draco said.

"I want you to oversee the building of the training camps, Draco. I understand you have a few hundred acres of land well removed from populated areas. Use it," the Dark Lord commanded.

"Yes my Lord. Consider it done," Draco said, bowing.

"Excellent," Voldemort lisped, rubbing his elegant hands together.

It looked like he could accomplish his dream of domination within the allotted time period.

It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

Severus strode into the infirmary, his black robes billowing and face set in a determined expression. Poppy walked out of her office. Severus looked at the medi-witch and said three words. 

"Where is she?"

Poppy swallowed and pointed.

"In the lab, as usual," the witch said.

"I'll be taking her with me for a three-day rest," the Potions Master said.

Poppy gave a relieved sigh.

"Thank goodness. If she doesn't get away from her work, she is going to collapse. I've never seen a witch so driven. Be sure to make her eat and drink plenty of fluids," the medi-witch directed.

Severus nodded then took off for the lab.

Hermione was staring at the blackboard, going over the Spells formula she had constructed for the Amplification Spell. She still wasn't getting the power she needed. Had she miscalculated the lei lines again? Shit.

Hermione picked up the eraser and erased everything on the board, and started from scratch again. The symbols blurred a little and she wiped her eyes. She had to focus. This was too important.

Suddenly she heard the lab door open.

"Poppy I ate…I swear," she said not turning around, "Please go. I promise I will take a rest after I create this spell."

"You will take a rest now, witch," came the silky reply.

Hermione turned around.

"Severus. What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I've come to retrieve you before you keel over from exhaustion. Mathias is worried about you," the Potions Master said, looking down on the witch. She looked terrible.

"Well, I don't want to be retrieved, so you can go back to the dungeons. I have work to finish," Hermione said, turning back to the blackboard.

The wizard scowled blackly as the witch tried to dismiss him so flippantly.

Severus saw Hermione's wand on the counter, picked it up and put it in his pocket.

"You are finished," he snarled, grabbing Hermione, lifting her and flinging the witch over his shoulder.

Hermione kicked her legs and beat on his back ineffectually as the Potions Master strode out of the lab and past an open-mouthed Poppy, Hermione screaming bloody murder.

"She'll be back in three days, Poppy," Severus said, exiting the infirmary with the struggling witch. Hermione grabbed on to the edge of the door, but Severus yanked her hard so she lost her grip. Hermione's screams of rage faded away as he carried her toward the shifting stairs.

Poppy shook her head and walked back into her office.

The Potions Master might not have the most congenial bedside manner when dealing with a difficult patient, but he certainly was effective.

* * *

Once in the corridor, Severus took his wand and disillusioned the witch, then put a silencing spell around them. This only served to piss Hermione off even more and she yanked on his long black locks, only to get a good hard whack on her ass that made her eyes water. 

"Pull my hair again, Hermione and you'll get more whacks than that when I get you in my rooms," the Professor growled as he took the shifting stairwells down.

When he reached the main floor, Severus got a number of strange looks from the students. Hermione's shimmer could clearly be seen undulating in the Potions Master over the shoulder hold as he strode quickly through the hall and turned down the dungeon corridor.

"He's kidnapping someone to take into his rooms and torture," said one wide-eyed Hufflepuff witch to her friend as they huddled together and watched the wizard pass.

"Probably to dissect for human parts to use in potions ingredients. Dried heartstrings, powdered liver, stuff like that," her friend said, shuddering.

Severus would have smirked if he had heard them. He liked nothing more than for student to think he was sinister and dangerous. It made them so much easier to handle.

The Potions Master walked up to his office door, unwarded it and went in, Hermione hanging dejectedly over his shoulder. She stopped struggling when he whacked her, and now just glared sullenly. Severus opened the wall to his study, walked in and warded it very securely. He removed the disillusionment and silencing spells and put the witch down. Hermione was fuming.

"How dare you carry me through the halls of Hogwarts like a sack of rock cakes," she hissed at him, her face red and contorted with rage.

The wizard's eyes swept over her.

"You are a mess," he said shortly.

"I am not a mess. I've just been working," the witch said.

In response, Severus grabbed her by the shoulders and walked her into the bedroom, stopping in front of the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. He turned Hermione so she could see herself.

"If that's not a mess, I don't know what is," the wizard said.

Hermione looked at herself. Her hair was next to matted, pinned down sloppily. Her skin was dull as if she hadn't bathed in ages. Black half hollows rested beneath her eyes and her face had a pinched look to it. Her lab coat was stained with gods knew what. Hermione had to admit she did look horrible.

"I've…I've just been very focused, Severus. You know how important my work is," she said to the wizard still looking at herself in the mirror.

"You can't work at peak performance if you don't take care of yourself. You wouldn't even listen to Poppy when she told you to take a break, Hermione," he said to her in a low voice.

Hermione scowled.

"That still doesn't give you the right to come into my lab and throw me over your shoulder like a Neanderthal," she spat.

"I had every right. Albus gave me the go-ahead to retrieve you," Severus replied evenly, turning her to face him, his eyes sweeping over her again.

Hermione was in too bad a shape to even shag. Severus had no inclination to do it anyway…he knew in her state she'd make a poor showing. True, he could get some pleasure, but he preferred the witch responsive and strong. He'd give her a day or two to recover, then she'd pay for that little foot-stomping episode from a month or so ago. Severus never forgot any wrong done him. Hermione was going to get a good hard reaming for that little incident.

He released her.

"Get naked. You're going to take a good shower and wash that niffler's nest you call hair," the wizard sneered at her.

Hermione scowled.

"Stop ordering me around like a child and let me go back to my lab," she demanded, "I know when I need to shower. I don't smell."

Severus looked at Hermione a moment, then grabbed her again, this time dragging her shrieking toward his bathroom. He wrapped one arm around her throat as he opened the shower door, turned on the spigot, then shoved Hermione in fully dressed, following her and closing the door behind them. Both were getting soaked as the Potions Master started wrestling Hermione's clothing off. He could have simply divestoed them, but this way was much more fun.

"Stop it! Severus! You stop this right now!" Hermione screamed, girl-fighting the wizard who had a grim smirk on his face as he pulled off her lab coat, then her t-shirt, then her bra. He had a time getting her jeans off, having to crush her against the shower wall face first and reach around to unfasten the button and unzip them. He yanked them down along with her knickers. Hermione kicked back at him, shrieking.

Actually, this was good for Hermione. She was so frustrated at being held up in her work, but had been bottling it up. Trying to beat up the Potions Master was good therapy, though she wasn't doing a very good job of it.

Severus got the witch naked, her clothing thrown in the far corner of the shower. He then removed all his wet clothing, blocking the shower door with his body so she couldn't escape. Hermione's eyes grew wide.

"If you even THINK I'm going to let you shag me after what you've done, Severus Snape…" she began.

"I prefer my women washed and healthy, Hermione," he said evenly, taking a washcloth and soap off the shower caddy and lathering the rag up. "You are neither. You needn't worry about me attempting to shag you."

Hermione looked down at Severus' loins and saw that he didn't have an erection. This was the first time she'd been naked in his presence and he didn't get aroused. This brought the witch up short. Her lover didn't find her desirable. He didn't want her, even after a month without sex.

It was as if all the fire went out of the witch, and tears began to fall as Severus drew her in and began to wash her body thoroughly. He was quite clinical, and made no attempt to stimulate the witch in any sexual manner. When he was satisfied she was soap-clean, the Potions Master took out all the hairpins in her hair, loosened it then stuck her head under the stream of water, soaking it before taking a bottle of shampoo out of the caddy and pouring it over her head. He began working a thick lather into the tangles and scrubbing her scalp, noting how she just let him do it.

Severus washed her hair three times before he was satisfied, then bathed himself quickly as well. He opened the shower door and exited, drawing Hermione behind him. He passed her a large fluffy towel, took one himself and started drying off. Hermione watched him for several moments, then slowly began to dry her body. She felt tired, but better. There was something to be said for soap and water.

Severus walked naked into the bedroom, Hermione following him. He took out two pairs of boxers. One black and one Slytherin green. He tossed the green ones to Hermione.

"Put those on," he said to her.

Hermione looked at him and down at the silk shorts.

"Boxers?" she asked.

"Well, you need something to sleep in," he said, pulling out a white wife beater and tossing that to her as well. Hermione stepped into the boxers. Severus pulled out his wand and dried her hair. It was shiny again. He looked down at the boxers.

"Hmm. They never fit me like that," he commented. Hermione had ample hips and ass for her size, and the boxers hugged her curves. Severus felt a little throb despite himself as she stood there bare-breasted and in his boxers.

"Put on the shirt," he groused, turning away from her, "then get in the bed."

Hermione looked at him.

"It's too early for bed," she said.

Severus looked at her imperiously as she pulled on his shirt. It was far too long for her, and the curve of her breasts was visible on either side.

"Hermione, I will not have you questioning everything I tell you to do. Now either get in the bed under your own volition, or I will throw you into it. Your choice," he said, his eyes glittering dangerously.

It might be early, but Severus suspected Hermione went to bed very late and got up very early. She was going to get some sleep if he had to force a sleeping draught down her throat.

Hermione was tired of Severus manhandling her and obediently climbed into the bed, slipping under the sheets. Severus warded the bedroom door securely, then placed his wand under the mattress, got into bed, slid under the sheets and pulled Hermione into the crook of his arm. He didn't say anything to the witch as she nestled against him. He just closed his eyes.

Hermione looked at him, still perturbed that he didn't want to touch her. Normally, she held all the power when it came to sex. His non-reaction really disturbed her. Finally she said something.

"Am I really that unattractive to you now, Severus?" she asked him.

"It's not a matter of you being unattractive Hermione. You are always beautiful to me. It's just that I am more concerned about your health then sticking my wand into you. Shagging a sick witch isn't my cup of pumpkin juice," he replied, his eyes still closed. "I prefer you hale and whole. You'll react better. I'd rather have no sex than bad sex."

"Such concern," Hermione sniffed sarcastically.

Severus turned his head towards her, opening his eyes and focusing on her. They narrowed slightly.

"Don't worry witch. You'll be walking as if you've been riding a Thestral bareback for days by the time you return to your 'work'" the Potions Master said, tightening his hold on her. "There's a little matter of a foot-stomping you have to make up for."

Hermione felt a little shudder go through her as she met the wizard's eyes.

Severus acted like an inconsiderate beast sometimes…but gods…he was so sexy.

* * *

In the Headmaster's office, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Albus looked down on the specs of Voldemort's stronghold that Severus had drawn a long time ago. The two wizards had studied this map so many times over the years they knew it by heart. 

"There's only one thing for it, Albus. We have to storm his stronghold on New Year's Eve before midnight. Most likely he will have his deatheaters deployed throughout the wizarding world ready to bring order to the masses, so there will probably only be a small contingent actually at his fortress. Severus is going to have to show his hand and get us in there.

Albus frowned.

"Voldemort keeps up an impenetrable ward constantly around his stronghold. Only deatheaters can pass through it. The only way to get the ward to drop is to thoroughly engage the wizard so his power is redirected. That would mean Severus would have to go toe-to-toe with Voldemort, and let's face it, brave as Severus is…he cannot match the Dark Lord."

Kingsley nodded.

"He's still going to have to try, Albus. Voldemort has to be otherwise engaged for us to follow him. I have special devices designed by Fred and George Weasley called Track-a-Ports, that can turn a wizard or witch into a port key destination. They've adapted it to transport a group of wizards to that point. We have five hundred of these devices. We can use them to transport to Severus' side in seconds."

Albus' eyes darkened.

"He can be dead in seconds," Kingsley," the old wizard said sadly.

"Severus is a soldier, Albus. He's risked his life all these years for this moment. I doubt he will hesitate now when success is so close. We have to take Voldemort out before he invokes that mark. We need to do it as close to the designated time as possible. Severus is going to have to face the Dark Lord. There's no other way."

Albus knew Kingsley was right. He also knew that Voldemort would kill the Potions Master. The wizard was simply too powerful. He hated the thought of that…but it was either one wizard lost or the entire wizarding world enslaved. Severus would have to be sacrificed.

"Very well, Kingsley. Let's work out the details of the attack," the wizard said, his blue eyes glistening. "I don't want our Potions Master's sacrifice to be in vain."

Kingsley nodded, and together the wizards meticulously planned the demise of the Dark Lord.

* * *

A/N: And that is the end of "Daddy Dearest Part 10" More to come. 


	11. Daddy Dearest Final Chapter

**Daddy Dearest Part 11 (The Final Chapter)**

The next morning Severus awoke with a huge hard-on. His black eyes shifted toward Hermione. She was sleeping on her back, her hair wild all over her head. The sheet was pulled down to her waist, one of her breasts exposed through the side of the wife beater. Severus bit his lip and rolled out of bed and went to use the loo. His erection refused to go down. It was an "I want some trim" erection, not an "I've got to take a piss" erection. The wizard groaned and slapped some water on his face, then went through his morning ablutions quickly. He quietly dressed, retrieved his wand from under the mattress and headed for his classroom, warding his study door as he exited so Hermione couldn't leave if she woke up.

The wizard immediately went to his potions stores and found the extract he was looking for. He had brewed this extract himself, and knew a little went a long way. He put the bottle in his pocket, then grabbed a flask of deflating elixir and drank it down. He sighed as his erection went down, then locked up his stores. He headed back to his rooms.

When he entered the bedroom, Hermione wasn't in the bed. He heard the loo flush, then the water run in the basin. Hermione emerged from the bathroom. She looked much better than yesterday.

"Good morning," the Potions Master said.

Hermione snorted at him, then walked over to the chair. The house elves had provided clothing for her and taken her wet clothes from the shower to be cleaned. Severus watched as she removed his clothing then dressed, his dark eyes on Hermione's ass as she pulled up her knickers. She slipped her robes over her underwear and fastened them. Finally she was dressed.

"I really should go back to the lab," Hermione said to the Potions Master as she followed him into the study.

Severus didn't answer her. Instead he threw some floo powder into the fireplace and contacted the kitchens, ordering a huge breakfast.

He turned back to Hermione.

"The lab is off-limits for the next three days, Hermione. Get used to the idea," the wizard said evenly.

Three house elves appeared, carrying platters of food and drink. Severus transformed two books into a table and chairs, and the elves placed the food on tables and winked out. Hermione looked at the spread.

"Severus, this is too much food. Who is going to eat all of this?" she asked him, sitting down at the table.

"We are, though hopefully you will eat the most," he replied, sliding the pumpkin juice and glasses over. He reached into his pocket without Hermione noticing and added the contents of the bottle to her glass, put it back in his pocket, then filled the glass with pumpkin juice.

Apparently, Hermione was very thirsty and downed half the juice. Severus smirked as he sat down at the table. He watched as Hermione began piling food on her plate. Eggs, bacon, sausage, toast and jam. She went to work on it.

"Mmm, everything tastes soooo good," she gushed, finishing her pumpkin juice and holding out her glass for more. Severus filled it, and went to work on his own breakfast. Hermione was really tucking it away. She finished her first plate, then filled it again.

"Gods, I feel bottomless," she said, "and so relaxed."

Severus quirked an eyebrow at her. She was going to get even more relaxed. The extract he had given her was Cannabis extract, brewed from five of the best and strongest strains of marijuana money could buy. White Widow, Northern Lights, Super Skunk, Big Bud and Purple Haze marijuana.

Hermione had consumed the equivalent of an ounce of very potent weed in her pumpkin juice. She would soon be feeling so mellow she wouldn't want to move, much less work.

"Good," Severus said, "You need to eat and relax."

Hermione nodded and tucked into her plate again, Severus watching her closely. Finally she pushed her plate away and leveled her eyes at him. They were somewhat heated.

"Wow," she said looking at him. "I guess you were right about my needing sleep. I feel so good."

There was an alarming little purr in her voice.

Severus thought about the properties of the extract, then his eyes widened as he looked at the witch. Hermione licked her lips.

Shit. He'd forgotten the extract was also a very powerful aphrodisiac. He had to get out of here. The Potions Master stood up.

"I have class, this morning Hermione and forgot I left some papers in my office that need immediate grading," he said. "You just relax, read a little and lounge about. I will check on you at lunchtime.

Hermione was running her hand over her neck.

"Wow, my hand feels so good on my skin," she purred, looking at the wizard. "I wonder how your hand would feel."

The witch stood up and started walking towards him.

"It would feel like a hand," Severus replied, backing away. "I need to go, Hermione."

The witch sidled up to him, pressing her body against his. Severus felt himself responding. Damn it.

"Touch my neck," Hermione said to him. "I want to know how your hand feels."

"You should know how my hand feels, witch. I've been touching you for five years now," Severus growled at her as she rubbed her body against him. Shit, it had been a month.

"Touch me, Severus," she insisted.

"All right. Then I have to go," he said, letting his pale hand slide across the soft skin of her throat. Hermione let out a very sexy moan. The Potions Master hardened immediately at the husky sound of it.

"I've got to go Hermione," he said hoarsely, but he didn't move. Hermione could feel his erection.

"I don't think you really want to go," she said softly, sliding his hand over her breast. The wizard hissed. Damn, he had really fucked up giving the witch that extract. She was seducing him.

"Yes I do," he lied.

He managed to pull back from the witch, but Hermione just moved forward until she was against him again. Her small hand caressed the telltale bulge tenting his robes. The wizard hissed again, his eyes growing hard.

"Stop that you minx," he growled, pushing her hand away.

"What if I don't?" Hermione asked him, returning her hand to his erection, squeezing it this time.

Severus didn't answer her. He just looked down at her, scowling as she ran her hand over him insistently.

"What if I don't stop, Severus?" she said again, her amber eyes glowing with lust.

Hermione had no idea why she was suddenly so randy, but she was. Her knickers were soaked and Severus' erection made her even randier.

"If I don't stop, are you going to shag me, Mr. 'I've-got-to-go?'"

Severus' nostrils flared as Hermione taunted him.

"Or has going without for a month thrown you off your game?" she purred at the wizard, "Made you develop a hair-trigger and you're afraid your big gun will go off a little too fast, lover?"

Hermione was really lit. If she were herself, she would have never taunted Severus this way. He looked down at her, his eyes hard as gemstones.

Suddenly the Potions Master grabbed the witch and turned her around, pushing her forward with his body towards the table. Holding her by one arm, Severus swept the plates from the table then bent Hermione over it, holding her down with one hand and unfastening the lower part of his robes.

"Hair-trigger? I'll show you hair-trigger, witch," he breathed, opening his trousers then pulling his erection out of his boxers. He pulled up Hermione's robes and pulled down her knickers, then plunged inside her, making the witch shriek.

"You should have known I'd do you," he hissed, gripping the witch by her waist and plowing into her roughly, biting his lip as he jerked her petite body back and forth across the table, Hermione shrieking like a banshee.

Outside their rooms, Slytherin students on their way to breakfast slowed down in the dungeons corridor as they heard what sounded like faint screaming coming from the Potions Master's rooms. Severus hadn't warded his rooms with a silencing spell, Hermione had driven him so wild.

Mathias, Andreas and Jasmine also stopped.

Mathias listened closely.

"That sounds like mum," he said, reddening.

Andreas' brows went up, then he smirked. Jasmine turned crimson.

"It seems as if your father successfully got your mother out of the infirmary," Andreas said as the trio started walking again.

"What in the world is he doing to her?" Jasmine said, looking back toward the room then at Mathias.

"Scenario number two," Mathias replied.

Andreas laughed and Jasmine looked perplexed.

"What's scenario number two?" she asked, her brow furrowed.

"Private joke," Mathias answered as Andreas continued to chuckle.

Severus grasped Hermione's hair in his fist and pulled her head upward as he took her, driving into the witch hard and deep until she gushed around him powerfully, her walls clamping down on his shaft and pulsing tightly. Severus groaned but kept going.

"Who's got the hair-trigger now, witch?" he gasped, his loins slapping against her loudly.

Hermione was in no condition to answer. Gods his sting felt so good.

Severus stopped and turned Hermione around, lifting her to the table, laying the witch on her back, pulling her knickers off and pulling her hips down so he could better access her body. He entered Hermione again, then bent over her, his hands on either side as he held himself up, pumping into the witch, staring down at her contorting face. Hell, he would have waited, but she was begging for this.

"Remember stomping on my foot, Hermione?" he breathed before giving her a series of deep hard strokes that slid her across the table. He dragged her back and did it again, the witch's cries washing over him.

"Yesssss. I'm doing my own stomping now, witch. Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!" Severus hissed, slamming into her in time with his taunt. Hermione screamed as she orgasmed again.

"Ooh. You had a better reaction than I did," the Potions Master said, his eyes locked to the incoherent witch's face as her release washed over him.

Suddenly, Severus dropped to Hermione's body, locking his mouth to hers and riding her lustfully, his body rippling as he worked toward his own release. Gods, she felt so good. He could feel her juices soaking the front of his trousers and boxers. He didn't give a damn as he finished the witch, pistoning into her so hard the table started sliding across the study, the wizard following it, groaning as the pressure built. He felt his himself tightening just as the table stopped against the bookshelves.

Severus straightened and let go into Hermione with a roar, his eyes rolling up with bliss as he released, his powerful climax making his legs quake as he arched into the witch, shooting jet after pulsing jet inside the witch's hot body, feeling her arms wrap around him, pulling him closer. Severus shuddered against Hermione before collapsing on top of her, panting.

He turned his head to look at the clock. He had shagged the witch for almost forty-five minutes. He raised himself up on his elbows and looked at Hermione.

She was asleep. The food, sex and Cannabis extract had obviously done her in. Severus brushed her hair out of her face. Well, she needed rest. Most likely she'd be famished when she woke up. Severus straightened, took his wand out of his pocket and scourgified his boxers, trousers and robes. It wouldn't do to go to class smelling like esx. He fixed his clothing, then scourgified Hermione and the broken dishes on the floor. He looked down at the sleeping witch again, then picked her up and carried her into his bedroom, laying her gently in the bed.

Hermione instantly rolled on her side and curled up like a child. Severus smirked at her.

"Cheeky little witch. I hope you remember everything that happened," he said to her before exiting the bedroom.

He then placed a ward on the floo that would allow voice contact, but not allow a solid object to pass through, in case Hermione tried to leave his rooms while he was in class. She would be able to order food however. But he would be back during lunch. Hopefully the Cannabis extract would have worn off by then, or else he could probably expect another seduction. He'd take her too if she took him to the edge like she did earlier. She was quite the yummy little succubus.

Severus checked himself once more, then exited his rooms.

Gods, it had been a good morning.

* * *

Andreas and Mathias worked on the Voldemort scenario until they believed they had it down pat. True to his word, Mathias did go back to his mum's house and steal the transfiguration charms. He and Andreas practiced using them until they became proficient.

Hermione's three days with Severus went well. The Potions Master didn't exhaust her this time, keeping in mind the witch was with him to rest after all, and after her short vacation, Hermione returned to her lab refreshed and ready to work on the difficult spell again. But she was worried that a month had gone by without any other breakthroughs than discovering the faint pulse.

Jasmine continued training with Mathias and Andreas, but she couldn't shake the feeling something else was going on with the wizards. They were becoming more focused, more serious about their training, and Jasmine became quite a good little fighter because of it. Mathias really made her work for every hit, kick or punch. It was as if the wizard were training her for some great match. But no matter how well she did, the pale wizard would not praise her.

"He's just like his father," Jasmine seethed to Andreas after she had thrown Mathias over her shoulder, then kicked him in the head so hard the wizard saw stars, even though he had on headgear.

Jasmine felt she deserved a pat on the back at least, but Mathias didn't say a word about it.

"That is a compliment," Andreas said in response. "His father is a great man."

Immediately after Hermione left his rooms, the Dark Lord summoned Severus. He arrived at the throne room to find it filled to the brim with deatheaters. Draco announced that they would be going into intensive training, and that all deatheaters would be required to attend the training sessions. He then introduced Douglas. Voldemort listened for the most part, his red eyes drifting over his minions. This was the twenty-fifth group he had seen today and there were plenty more to come.

Then the Dark Lord spoke and told his deatheaters that any insubordination to the muggle instructions would result in death and that they were to train hard, and the coup would occur at midnight on New Year's Eve, so they had to be prepared by then.

After most of the deatheaters departed, Severus knelt and waited for the Dark Lord to recognize him.

"Arise Severus and approach the throne," Voldemort said, beckoning the wizard forward. "You may look at me."

Severus looked up at Voldemort. He was about to speak when Voldemort waved his hand to silence him.

"Your hour has arrived, Severus, where you prove your loyalty to me. I am not going to require you to train with the rest of my deatheaters. I need you to do something specific for me. I need you to unward the gates of Hogwarts. At midnight, twenty thousand of my DKV members will apparate to the gates and overrun the school. The time of your treachery is at hand," the Dark Lord said. "Can you do this for me, Severus?"

Severus bowed.

"Yes my Lord. It is a simple thing," the Potions Master replied.

"I will be counting on you Severus. Do not fail me or I will track you down and rip the flesh from your bones one strip at a time," Voldemort said with a snarl.

"I will do as you ask, my Lord. I am your most loyal servant," Severus replied.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"We shall see, Severus, we shall see," the Dark Lord replied. "Leave me now."

"Yes my Lord," the Potions Master said, bowing and backing up, then disapparating. He had to see Albus immediately.

* * *

Severus informed Albus and Kingsley of the Dark Lord hiring muggle military advisors to train his deatheaters to restore order after he invokes the mark and thousands were killed, as well as the Dark Lord wanting him to open the gates of Hogwarts so his DKV members could overrun the school.

Both Albus and Kingsley looked very grave.

"We have come up with a plan to storm the Dark Lord's stronghold, Severus. We need you to get us in," Albus said to the Potions Master soberly.

Severus knew what this meant immediately. He would have to engage the Dark Lord so the ward would drop. Most likely the wizard would kill him. Ah well, the inevitable moment had arrived.

Severus nodded.

"I will do my very best, Albus," the wizard said.

Albus' blue eyes glistened.

"I know you will do no less," the Headmaster replied.

* * *

Severus brought Mathias into his private rooms. Mathias was a little apprehensive about his father's sober demeanor. Severus told him to sit down and launched right into what he needed to tell him.

"Mathias, there is a very good chance that I will not live beyond the night Voldemort intends to invoke the mark," he told his son.

"What? Why dad?" the young wizard said, his heart in his throat.

"Because I am the only one who can enter the Dark Lord's stronghold and distract him enough so he lowers his wards. I cannot win against Voldemort, Mathias. He will kill me," the wizard said. "I just want you to be prepared, and to let you know…that I'm proud of all you've tried to do. You are a fine son."

Mathias looked up at his father.

"Dad…I need to show you something…at Headquarters. I think Andreas and I can help you," he said.

"What do you mean, son?" Severus asked him.

"I'd rather show you than tell you dad. Telling you won't persuade you. Showing you might," the young wizard said.

Severus arched an eyebrow at his son.

"Very well. Show me," he said.

* * *

Severus and the boys showed up at Grimmauld Place, surprising both Tonks and Kingsley, who were quite knotted up on the sofa. Fortunately they hadn't gotten much farther than kissing. Tonks popped up and smoothed her spiky hair.

"Hey, I didn't think you were coming," she said looking at Severus and the boys.

"Um, we didn't come for training, Tonks," Mathias said. "We came to show dad our plan for killing Voldemort."

"For killing Voldemort?" Tonks said incredulously.

Both boys nodded.

"We have been working on it for weeks," Andreas said, "We believe we can do it."

The three adults looked at each other, then back at the young wizards.

"Well show us then," Kingsley said.

All of them walked down to the ROR.

"We're going to have a lot of explaining to do, Andreas," Mathias whispered to his brother.

Andreas shrugged.

"Then we will explain. We always knew we would have to one day. But only to your father," the wizard replied. "He can tell who he likes."

They stopped outside the room of requirement. Mathias turned to his father.

"Dad, you are going to see us do some things you don't understand. I will explain them to you later, but just you. You can tell Tonks and Kingsley later on, but I would rather just explain everything to you," Mathias said.

Tonks and Kingsley looked at each other. Mathias must have his reasons for this.

"That's fine with us, Mathias," Kingsley said, Tonks nodding.

"Thanks. Give us about five minutes before you look into the mirror," Mathias said, making the intricate motions that made the ROR door appear. He and Andreas walked inside.

Five minutes later, Severus, Tonks and Kingsley stared into the mirror.

"What's Jasmine Malfoy doing there?" Severus said out loud.

The three adults watched the scene transpire, their eyes wide in disbelief.

The boys exited the room, panting.

All three adults looked at them.

"Where did you get that scenario?" Tonks asked him.

"I'd rather explain everything to dad back at Hogwarts," Mathias said. "But it is the most likely scenario to defeat Voldemort."

Tonks looked at Andreas and shuddered slightly as she remembered his role, and his concentration as he enacted it.

Kingsley looked thoughtful.

"I think we can use them, Severus," he said in his deep, rich voice.

Severus looked from his son to Andreas, and felt his heart swell with pride.

"So do I Kingsley. So do I," the Potions Master said.

* * *

Severus listened in awed silence as Mathias and Andreas told him of their escapades since Mathias' first year. Severus knew about the Iboga Elixir, but was still a bit doubtful until Mathias pulled up his shirt and removed the disillusionment spell, revealing the coiled, open-mouthed serpent etched into his chest with a series of scars.

"So you received powers from this inner journey you took?" Severus asked him.

"Some powers. Not like Andreas' powers, though I can do something he can't," Mathias said.

"Show me," Severus asked him.

"All right," Mathias said.

He looked at his father, then suddenly slumped in the chair.

Severus suddenly felt crowded and lost control of his body. He stood up, turned around then sat back down in his chair helplessly. Then the feeling of crowding was gone. He looked at his son as his eyelids fluttered and he sat up in the chair.

"Mathias can soul travel. He can take over another body for a few seconds," Andreas said, looking at Severus soberly.

Severus stared at his son. What an amazing power. Suddenly, Severus thought about the trial, and Umbridge's bizarre behavior that was described in the Prophet. Mathias had skived off school and attended that particular hearing with Jasmine. Suddenly Severus knew his son had possessed the woman for talking bad about Hermione. It also explained what he saw in the ROR.

Severus began to think and think hard.

"Is Jasmine a part of this plan?" he asked Mathias.

"No. I haven't told her about it yet," Mathias said.

"I suggest you tell her. She can play an even bigger role in this," Severus said to his son.

Mathias groaned inwardly. He had planned to wait to almost the last minute to tell Jasmine. But if her knowing could help save his father's life, he would tell her in an instant.

"All right, dad. I will talk to her tomorrow," Mathias said.

Severus nodded.

"Good. I think we may all have a good chance of pulling this off," the Potions Master said. "For now, off to bed with both of you. It's late and you have classes in the morning."

Both Mathias and Andreas wished the Potions Master a good night and exited his rooms.

Severus sat before the fireplace, staring into the flames.

His heart felt tight in his chest as he thought about all Mathias had gone through hoping to save him and his mother from Voldemort. How much that must have weighed on the boy, and how dedicated he was. Now he was going to risk his life to save his father and the wizarding world.

Once again Severus was glad that Hermione was too stubborn to abort his son all those years ago. The Potions Master had given him life…and now the boy was going to return the favor.

Life was truly miraculous.

* * *

The next morning on the way to the ROR to weight train, Mathias turned to Jasmine.

"Jasmine, you know how you are always accusing Andreas and I of keeping secrets from you?" he said to the witch, who glowered at him.

"Yes. Leaving me feeling all left out," she responded.

"Well, you were right. We have been keeping a very big secret from you. If you come to my room after supper, I will tell you everything," the wizard said, his dark eyes meeting hers.

"You promise, Mathias?" she asked him, skeptically.

Mathias nodded soberly.

"On my honor as a wizard," he said, placing his hand over his heart as he did so.

Jasmine looked at Mathias closely. He seemed so intense. She believed he would tell her everything.

"All right, I'll come," she said.

Andreas had been listening to them silently. He knew Jasmine would freak out at first, but then she would be with them. She was his little sister after all, and family didn't abandon each other in times of need.

* * *

Jasmine's eyes went wide as saucers as Mathias told her he and Andreas had been training in order to kill Voldemort for all these years.

"You're crazy," Jasmine said, looking from Mathias to Andreas. "You're both crazy."

"We are not, crazy Jasmine. We can do this," Andreas said.

"But the Dark Lord is the most powerful wizard in the world. He can do wandless magic. You two wouldn't stand a chance against him," Jasmine said horrified.

"Jasmine, those marks everyone has…he can control people through them. Make them kill. Everyone who has that mark will start killing people at midnight on New Year's Eve. Then the deatheaters will restore order and Voldemort will take over. We have to stop that from happening," Mathias said to her.

"But the Order…the Order can do that. Why you…you're just boys," she said, her voice going a little shrilly as she realized Andreas and Mathias were just crazy enough to attempt this and get themselves killed.

"We're not boys, Jasmine. We are young men, men who have been training for this moment a large part of our lives. We cannot let that evil wizard come into power. If he does, many will suffer and many will die. He will not stop at the magical world. He will go for the muggle world too," Andreas said soberly.

Jasmine froze at this. She thought of Maria, and Anna and the rest of the people on the island. They had no magic. Voldemort could easily enslave them all.

Her eyes began to glisten and Mathias sighed.

"Jasmine, there's a reason we are telling you this. You are the only one who can get us into the stronghold," Mathias said softly.

Jasmine looked at Mathias.

"Me? How can I get you in?" she asked him.

Mathias looked at Jasmine evenly.

"I know you are going to be Voldemort's consort," Mathias said.

Jasmine's eyes widened, then narrowed as she looked at Andreas.

"You said you wouldn't tell him," she hissed at the black wizard, who blinked back at her calmly.

"He didn't tell me, Jasmine. We were looking for the best scenario to kill Voldemort in, and the Room of Requirement gave us the night you are to go to him," Mathias said.

"But I'm not supposed to go to Voldemort until I turn eighteen. It will be too late by then," the witch said, reddening.

Andreas shook his head.

"You don't look any older then you are now, Jasmine. We think he is going to summon you before he invokes the mark," the wizard said.

A look of horror washed across Jasmine's face, and she dropped her head into her hands.

"Oh gods…no," she wept.

Mathias looked at Andreas anxiously. Andreas shook his head slightly. Now wasn't the time to tell Jasmine of the other option. Not yet.

"Jasmine, why are you going to do this?" Mathias asked her.

"Because I don't have a choice, Mathias. I was chosen and my father has told me I have to do this. The Dark Lord is so powerful if I ran, he'd find me eventually and probably torture my father in his rage. My father is an asshole, but he's still my father, Mathias," Jasmine said. "If I cooperate, maybe it won't be so bad."

This is what the witch had been telling herself for the past few weeks. But then it was something years away, possibly Voldemort would be brought down before she had to let him take her. But now…now it seemed as if she only had a few weeks left.

"It will be bad, Jasmine," Andreas said, his dark eyes resting on the witch. "The Dark Lord doesn't care how cooperative you are. He likes causing pain for pain's sake."

"We want to come with you, Jasmine, when he summons you. We'll kill him before he touches you," Mathias said vehemently, his dark eyes glittering. "He'll never touch you."

"But what if he kills you?" Jasmine asked.

"Then…we die," Andreas replied.

"But hopefully we won't Jasmine. We've been practicing the scenario with you in it at Order Headquarters. We kill him every time. We have a plan that slows him down enough to get to him. My dad knows about it and says we have a chance," Mathias said in an effort to make Jasmine see others believed in them.

"Your father knows? And he's not trying to stop you?" Jasmine said.

"He saw for himself what we plan to do to Voldemort. He saw us succeed, Jasmine. Besides, if we don't distract Voldemort, my father will have to…and the Dark Lord will kill him, Jasmine. My father is brave, but he is no match for him," Mathias said earnestly. "So you have to help us."

Jasmine stared at Mathias. His father was in danger of dying if she didn't help. She couldn't let that happen.

"All right. Tell me what I have to do," she said.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone about this, Jasmine. It could mean the end of the wizarding world if you do," Mathias said.

Jasmine frowned at him.

"When the hell are you going to see I don't blab everything, Mathias? I am just as closed-mouth as you and Andreas!" she said angrily.

"All right. All right. I was just saying," Mathias said to the irate witch.

"Saying nothing at all," Jasmine spat. "Now…tell me what I have to do?

* * *

Weeks passed. Hermione got no closer to cracking the mark. The witch was bad-tempered and frustrated. She had never failed at anything like this before. It was the most important project she had ever worked on, and she could do nothing.

The witch managed to create a stronger amplification spell, but when she applied it…it seemed as if the pulse recognized it was being divined and ceased to register at all. Obviously the Spells Master who designed it put in protections to keep it from being identified. Whoever he was, he had been brilliant. Hermione had no doubt he was dead. Voldemort would not allow anyone who knew the secret of the mark to live.

Both Mathias and Jasmine's birthdays came and went. Mathias had a very small party in his father's rooms with cake and ice cream.

Jasmine had a fight on her hands when she told her grandmother she didn't want a sweet sixteen party. Narcissa had been livid.

"What do you mean you don't want a sweet sixteen party? It is a pivotal moment in your life, Jasmine. You are officially a young woman now. You can begin to work your wiles and advance yourself. A sweet sixteen will have all the eligible young wizards spread out like a buffet, and you could sink your teeth into each and every one of them," the witch said, frowning at her granddaughter through the mirror.

"I don't want one, Grandmother," Jasmine said stubbornly. "It's not necessary."

Narcissa shook her head.

"I told your father he shouldn't have sent you to those islands with those peons," the witch said, her face contorting with distaste. "They've rubbed off on you. You don't appreciate the privileges life has in store for you, Jasmine. You want to live like a pauper," she said angrily.

"No. I just want to be happy, Grandmother. I don't need a fancy party full of strangers where I'm paraded up and down like a slab of meat for young wizards to ogle," she said. "I just want my birthday to be a regular day. Maybe have some cake and ice cream with my friends."

"Your friends? You mean that half-blood and that black wizard?" Narcissa spat. "Neither of them is suitable, Jasmine. Not for a consort. You hold too much status to be around such riff-raff!"

Jasmine's face went black.

"They are not riff-raff. They are friends, and loyal friends. Either one of them would give his life for me, Grandmother…and I would do the same for them," Jasmine said with conviction.

Narcissa looked at Jasmine with horror.

"Jasmine, you haven't let either of those boys have sex with you, have you?" the witch asked. Narcissa believed a wizard would only be that dedicated to a witch he was sleeping with.

"No!" Jasmine proclaimed with such vehemence, Narcissa sighed in relief.

"Good. Because the Dark Lord wouldn't touch you with a hundred-foot broomstick if you did," the witch said, "You have to save yourself for him. It is a great honor you've been selected. Your connection with him will give you status and clout, Jasmine. Wizards will line up to marry you because of your favor with the Dark Lord. You'll have your pick of the lot."

"Wonderful," Jasmine muttered.

"Yes, it is," Narcissa beamed. "Have you heard from your father lately?"

Jasmine shook her head.

"No, he's tied up in some private project that's taking up all his free time," Jasmine said, her eyes going dark.

She knew her father was off training with the deatheaters. She still couldn't believe he was such a traitor to the wizarding world. But Voldemort had him under his thumb. Draco feared him greatly…and the Dark Lord was known to wipe out entire families in his wrath. Draco was trying to keep them all alive.

"Well it's good he's involved in something. After that mudblood made him lose his position…" Narcissa began.

"Grandmother, he brought that on himself. If he had left Mathias' mum alone, he'd still be on the council," the witch declared.

Narcissa was so outraged she turned all kinds of colors.

"Jasmine, I really don't understand what's gotten into you. Taking a mudblood's side over your own father? You are an ungrateful little twit. Your father was trying to make things better for purebloods!" Narcissa scolded.

"My father was trying to destroy our society," Jasmine said, "It's fine as it is!"

Narcissa's ice-blue eyes became so dark, they almost looked black.

"I don't know what's happened to you, Jasmine…but you need a good dose of re-education. You need to know where your loyalties lie," she said darkly. "I think I will take you this summer and get you back into the right frame of mind. Your grandfather will be delighted to help in this endeavor."

Jasmine paled. Her grandfather, though he doted on Jasmine, he wouldn't hesitate to physically take things in hand.

"I'm going to go, Grandmother. Remember. No party," Jasmine said to the witch.

"Fine," Narcissa snapped.

The mirror went dark. Narcissa hadn't even said goodbye.

* * *

Douglas and his team were whipping the deatheaters into shape quickly. With Voldemort's threat of death hanging over their heads, they were quite willing to learn. They were drilled, and drilled and drilled until their actions became second nature, and they learned to work in teams.

One of the main training scenarios, known as the MOUT course, allowed the deatheaters to perform military operations on urban terrain (MOUT). They traveled through several mock wizarding villages, towns and cities filled with artificial improvised obstacles, pretend Order forces and wizarding civilians under the influence of the mark.

At first, Douglas had a time teaching the deatheaters not to kill first and ask questions later.

"You are restoring order. You want to keep as many people alive as possible. Mr. Dark Lord cannot rule a city of corpses!" he yelled in exasperation as deatheaters avada'd at will.

Finally they got the gist of it however, and learned how to move through the buildings and streets, stunning individuals, collecting their wands and restraining them. They were only to kill those who directly defied them as after they identified themselves as "Peacekeepers" three times.

Voldemort came to the camps several times and was quite pleased with the progress. Draco took all the credit.

"Draco, you are redeeming yourself nicely," the Dark Lord said to the wizard as he watched his deatheaters move through the mock streets with skill, searching for individuals and covering each other.

"It is my wish to show you I am still loyal, still worthy to serve, my Lord," Draco said.

Voldemort eyed him.

"You only need do one more thing to please me, Draco," the Dark Lord purred.

"Anything, my Lord," Draco replied.

"I want you to bring Jasmine to me on New Year's Eve. It will be a long time before I can indulge myself again, and your daughter pleases me. Bring her at seven. I should be finished with her before midnight," the Dark Lord said.

Draco went stiff inside, though he fought not to have a reaction.

"You said you would wait until she was eighteen my Lord," Draco said in an attempt to make the wizard wait without getting crucio'd.

"I changed my mind. She is sixteen, is she not?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes, my Lord," Draco replied, his heart sinking.

"At sixteen, witches start having sex. She is of proper age to indulge me. You will bring her to me, Draco. She is to wear a short, Slytherin green nightie under her robes. Nothing else."

"Yes, my Lord," Draco answered the wizard, his heart cold.

Well, Jasmine knew this was coming. Not so soon, but she knew she had to go to the Dark Lord. Draco sighed. He hated telling her, but there was nothing he could do. He hoped that Voldemort wouldn't hurt her too badly. She had to cooperate. Maybe if she cooperated it wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

"What? Father…no," Jasmine exclaimed as she looked in the mirror at her father's sober face, which contorted in anger.

"There is no 'no" Jasmine. You are a Malfoy and have your duty. You WILL go to Voldemort and do exactly as he says," the wizard seethed. "You will be obedient!"

Jasmine dropped her head.

"Yes sir," she said, her voice trembling.

Draco's eyes glistened a bit.

"Jasmine, if there were a way I could save you from this, I would. But the Dark Lord is powerful. If you attempt to deny him, he could destroy the entire house of Malfoy. Not only you and me, but your brother, mother and your grandparents. I know he will be taking something dear from you, Jasmine…but nothing is dearer than life and the continuance of our line. I must protect this family," he said softly.

"I know, father," Jasmine said.

"You will be staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. I have some guests I would rather keep you away from. I will retrieve you New Year's Eve and take you to the Dark Lord," he said.

Douglas and his team were staying at the Manor. They were a randy bunch. They would descend on Jasmine like a pack of wolves.

"All right, father," Jasmine replied.

Draco said goodbye and the mirror went dark.

Jasmine fell to her pillow, wrapped both arms around her belly and started to cry. She had to tell Mathias about the date being set for her deflowerment. It was the last week in November. That only gave her one more month before they went before the Dark Lord. The boys still didn't show her the scenario.

"All you need to do Jasmine is get out of the way and let us do what we have to do. I don't want to have to worry about you getting hurt," Mathias said to her evenly.

"I can protect myself," Jasmine snapped at him.

"You still might get in the way," the pale wizard said. "I want you to stay out of it, Jasmine. We have our plan already."

"Fine," she snapped.

But if the boys got in trouble, Jasmine planned to try and save them.

What kind of friend would she be if she didn't?

* * *

The month passed quickly. Hermione was no closer to finding out the secret of the Mark then when she first started. Finally, someone had created a spell that thoroughly stumped the witch. Hermione had never failed before, and didn't take it well. She sunk into a very deep depression, sitting in her lab and staring at her blackboard for hours.

The Order was ready for the onslaught. Their only choice was to go at Voldemort like a human wave when they arrived at his stronghold, hoping to overpower the wizard by the force of sheer numbers. Every Order soldier had made his peace with the world. Harry would be in the first wave, carrying the sword of Gryffindor. Hopefully the Prophecy would be proven true, and he would be able to kill the Dark Wizard. Ginny and James were beside themselves with fear, but Harry told them that he had to do it, for all their sakes. He wouldn't be moved about it. He couldn't be. Ginny was doubly upset, because her brother Ron would be by Harry's side. She could lose both of them.

Albus would also be in the first wave. Hopefully he could hold Voldemort long enough for the Order members to wash over him. They would all have weapons as well, and were instructed to kill the wizard in any way they could. Everyone had an individual Track-a Port attuned to Severus. They would watch it carefully until the small indicator light on top flashed, signaling they could port key to him. This would happen when the Dark Lord's wards dropped. At Severus' request the Order soldiers would appear at least one hundred feet from him, so he would have space to maneuver and not suddenly be crowded out if he should manage to survive Voldemort that long.

That wasn't the real reason Severus wanted them some distance from him, but it was believable enough.

Voldemort's deatheaters were ready to assume their peacekeeping role. They would be effective in taking over after the mark was deactivated. The broken shells that wandered the streets would be looking for help and a sense of someone being in control. It would be so simple. Voldemort would go to the Ministry and claim authority.

Two days before New Year's Eve, Douglas and his team stood before Voldemort as he reviewed his troops. Satisfied, the red-eyed wizard turned to the mercenary.

"You and your men have done well, Douglas. You have turned my deatheaters into a skilled and formidable peacekeeping force. You have my gratitude," the wizard said.

"Thank you, Mr. Dark Lord sir," Douglas said, smiling at the scaly wizard.

Voldemort looked at Draco.

"Draco, it is time for their reward," the wizard said.

Draco nodded, and turned to the troops.

"Give Mr. Douglas and his team their reward!" he shouted.

Douglas knew something was wrong when Draco issued that order and drew his Glock as did the other team members. They got off a couple of shots, but the Killing curse came at them from all directions, and the men fell where they stood. But they took about fifty deatheaters with them.

"Clean it up Draco," Voldemort said, waving his hand dismissively and apparating back to his stronghold to go over his plans.

Draco looked at the dead men, then at the troops.

"All right. You heard him. Clean it up," the wizard said.

The deatheaters complied.

* * *

On the morning of December thirtieth, Mathias was very quiet during the morning training session. Quiet and deadly as he battled Andreas. Tomorrow night they would meet the Dark Lord. The boys went at it full force, Jasmine watching them quietly.

Tomorrow night they might both be dead.

Jasmine was to be the distraction that would allow the boys to transform, hopefully without Voldemort realizing it until the last moment. The witch was thinking very hard about this…she needed to make his distraction more powerful. If he were angry, it would be easier for Andreas and Mathias to get the drop on him.

"What would make him furious?" Jasmine asked herself as she watched Mathias give Andreas a devastating uppercut that dropped the wizard to the ground.

They weren't wearing protective gear…and Jasmine served as the healer-at-large these past two weeks. She had ceased telling them to stop being so hard on each other. They had to be as hard as possible.

Jasmine herself had become more aggressive and vicious in her training as well, giving as good as she got from the wizards.

"You are a tiger," Andreas panted as he battled the witch.

Mathias sat on the bench and watched Jasmine fight Andreas. He had to admit the witch was fast and strong. She was formidable. The wizard drew in a deep breath.

Tonight he would try to convince the witch to let him deflower her before she went to Voldemort. She might tell him no, but he had to try anyway. His belly was all in knots as he thought about the possibility she would say yes. He hoped everything his father told him wouldn't fly out of his head.

He planned to disillusion himself after curfew, go to her room and convince her to let him in. He would wear his robes over his boxers…that was all.

He hoped this would work out.

Andreas had not yet made headway with Dana. He had told her that he was about to face death, and he didn't want to die a virgin. The witch had laughed at him. She thought he was feeding her a line to get into her knickers.

"Dana, I am telling you the truth. On New Years Eve I am going to try to kill the Dark Lord," the wizard confided in her. Dana wouldn't say anything.

Dana looked at Andreas and collapsed into hysterical laughter.

"Just when I thought I'd heard it all," the witch laughed, looking absolutely beautiful. Andreas felt his heart clutch. She didn't believe him.

"I tell you what, Andreas. You kill the Dark Lord and I will do anything you ask me to do," Dana told the wizard. Andreas' eyes went very hot.

"Anything?" he asked to confirm her statement.

"Anything and everything," she responded.

"Then I guess I cannot die, then," the wizard said to her soberly. "I will come for you on the first of January, Dana. Be prepared."

He gave her a kiss. She did allow him to kiss her…no tongue though. Then the wizard strode away. Dana felt something twinge inside her as he did.

He couldn't be telling the truth, could he?

She shook her head. No, impossible. It had to be a line.

Dana returned to Hufflepuff house, but couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. Nor the heat.

* * *

Mathias retired to his rooms early. Andreas joined him for a bit, telling him what Dana had promised if he survived.

"We must kill him, Mathias," the black wizard said.

Now Andreas had two very good reasons to kill Voldemort. The first, to save the wizarding world, the second, to get into Dana's knickers.

"We will, Andreas," Mathias said, looking distracted.

Andreas eyed him.

"You are nervous about Jasmine," Andreas said to his brother.

Mathias nodded, then looked at his friend evenly.

"Andreas, do you know how tonight will go with Jasmine and me?" he asked the wizard.

Andreas nodded slowly.

"Tell me," Mathias implored him.

Andreas shook his head.

"No, Mathias. This is a life moment. A life moment must be lived as it happens. I cannot tell you," the wizard said.

"Well, what about tomorrow night with Voldemort?" Mathias asked him. "Do you see that?"

"Not entirely. I only know we will get into his bedroom. After that everything goes dark. I think it is because it is my own future. I rarely see everything when I am involved," the black wizard said.

"So you don't know if we win," Mathias said.

Andreas shook his head.

"I'll only know that when it is over, brother," Andreas replied, "But we are strong, fast and have a plan. We must stay focused on the plan. The potion is brewed and my blade is sharpened. The rest will be up to you, my brother."

The boys clasped hands, then Andreas left Mathias to his night.

* * *

Jasmine lay in her bed, her ice blue eyes focused on the box on her dresser that her father had delivered to her, with written instructions.

**Tomorrow night wear this and only this beneath your robes, Jasmine. I will pick you up at six-thirty. Look your best.**

Jasmine opened the box and found a short, semi-transparent Slytherin green nightie. She lifted it out of the box and turned it back and forth in her hands before replacing it. She sat on her bed and stared at the box, before lying down. It was after curfew now.

So tomorrow night was the night. The night Mathias and Andreas would risk their lives to end the horror that was Voldemort. They just had to succeed. If they didn't the wizarding world might be lost. And so would she. No doubt the Dark Lord would kill her too for her treachery. But, it would be worth it. Her father was helping this evil wizard to take over. It was only fitting that she try to correct the wrong he was doing.

Jasmine thought about Mathias. Gods, she didn't want him to die. He was so brave. So strong. What if she couldn't fully distract the Dark Lord, and he caught them mid-transformation?

Jasmine's heart began to pound in her chest at this thought. Again, she wondered what she could do to fully distract him. What would enrage the Dark Lord?

Jasmine's eyes darkened. She knew what would displease him to the point of full distraction. His rage would probably be terrible…but enough to make him unable to focus on anything else.

Jasmine looked at the box again.

She knew what she had to do to make sure Mathias and Andreas had a real chance.

* * *

Mathias finished fastening his robes. It was time to go see Jasmine. Hopefully to do more than see her.

"Contraceptive Spell. Arousal. Seduction. Deflowerment. The Close," Mathias said under his breath. He wanted to make sure he didn't miss a step.

The wizard walked over to his mirror, picked up the brush and ran it over his black silky hair. He studied himself. Did Jasmine find him attractive? He knew she did. He cupped his hand over his mouth and breathed into it to smell his breath. He decided to brush his teeth again, just to make sure his mouth tasted good. He entered the bathroom and retrieved his toothbrush and toothpowder.

The young wizard scrubbed his teeth and mouth liberally, making sure to brush his tongue. That's where all the bad tastes clung. He rinsed his mouth out, then cupped his hand again. Yes, better.

Mathias rinsed out his toothbrush, lifted his arms, pulling his robe out a bit and sniffed himself. He had taken a very thorough shower and cast a deodorizing smell on himself. He still smelled fresh. He didn't have any cologne however. Witches liked cologne. Oh well.

The wizard walked back out into his bedroom and took a deep breath. He was just about to cast the disillusionment spell on himself when there was a knock on the door.

Mathias scowled slightly, then his scowl faded. It was probably Andreas come to wish him good luck. He opened the door.

A shimmer stood there. Suddenly it melted away and Jasmine Malfoy stood there in her housecoat. It was tightly closed.

Mathias blinked at her.

"Jasmine," he said in a low voice, "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to…to talk to you, Mathias. About tomorrow. Let me in before someone sees me," she said. The witch looked very nervous.

Mathias stepped aside and let the witch in. He closed the door, pulled out his wand and raised the torches. His black eyes settled on the witch. Her hair was brushed out and fell softly over her shoulders. She sat down on the edge of his bed.

Mathias took the chair, drawing it out in front of the witch and sitting down, his eyes locked to her. He had her in his room. He could do it here as well as in her room.

"What do you want to talk about, Jasmine?" he asked her.

The witch reddened.

"About tomorrow night. I've come up with a way to make Voldemort truly distracted…but…but I need your help, Mathias. I thought about it, and if I have to do this…you're the closest wizard to me…" her voice faltered.

"Do what?" Mathias asked the witch, completely clueless. He was so focused on his own intentions that he wasn't fully absorbing what the witch was insinuating.

"Lose my virginity," Jasmine said softly, reddening again and lowering her eyes.

Mathias stared at Jasmine, unable to believe what the witch had just said. He remained silent.

Jasmine looked up at him.

"Mathias, I have to distract Voldemort so you and Andreas have a chance to get at him. He'll be interested in me, of course, but he still might not be completely distracted. If he finds out I'm not a virgin, he'll be furious. And you know anger throws a person off his game…" she said.

Mathias continued to stare at the witch. She wanted to do this to help him and Andreas.

"Jasmine, he might kill you," Mathias said, his dark eyes fixed on her face.

"No…not if you move the moment I tell him," she said, "I think you'll be fast enough."

She had faith in him. That he would save her. And he would if it were in his power.

"So you want me to be the one to deflower you, Jasmine?" Mathias asked her.

She nodded, not looking at him for a moment, then looked up at the wizard.

"Do you know how to?" she asked him in a tremulous voice.

Mathias could tell the normally unflappable witch was scared. He was a little scared too, to be honest.

He nodded.

"Yes, Jasmine. I know how to deflower a witch. My father told me," he replied, "I think I know how to make it nice too."

Jasmine looked at Mathias. She hadn't thought about it as being nice.

"But it hurts at first," Mathias told her. "'I have to get through your hymen. It's supposed to be painful, but get better afterwards."

Jasmine already knew this, but it was daunting to know that Mathias would have to hurt her. Still, she had to do this. So she nodded, and stood up.

"So you'll do it, Mathias?" she asked him, her eyes focused on his face.

"Yes," the wizard said, standing up.

Jasmine met his eyes once more, then dropped to her sash, which was knotted. She tried to untie it, but her hands were shaking. Mathias saw this, and placed his hands over hers.

"Don't be scared, Jasmine," he said, "I'll do my best to make it easy for you. Here, let me untie that for you."

Mathias gently moved Jasmine's hands away from the sash and untied it. He didn't part her robes however. He stepped back.

Looking toward the corner of the room, a trick she had learned when nervous and facing an audience, Jasmine opened her robes. Mathias let out a hiss…he couldn't help himself. Jasmine was wearing a sheer green nightie. He could see her body through it. The witch was slender, but curvaceous. He could see her breasts and the triangle of her pubic hair, because she wore no knickers.

The wizard immediately hardened.

"Gods, Jasmine. You're so beautiful," Mathias said in awe.

Jasmine gave him a little smile for his reassurance and began to slip out of her robe. Mathias suddenly walked behind her and caught the robes at her shoulders, and slipped it off of her. He caught a whiff of roses.

"This isn't going like my father said it would," he said to her softly as he walked over to the chair and put Jasmine's robe on it. He turned to look at her. Gods.

"What do you mean?" she asked him.

"Well, first I'm supposed to…hold on," he said pulling his wand out of his pocket. He pressed the tip of it to Jasmine's lower belly. The witch gasped as he murmured the contraceptive spell.

"What was that?" she asked him.

"A contraceptive spell so you don't get pregnant," he replied, putting his wand on the chair now.

Jasmine's eyes widened. She was so caught up in what she was going to do with the wizard, she hadn't thought to protect herself. Thank the gods Mathias did.

"Oh," was all she said.

Mathias' black eyes washed over her again. She had very long legs. He wondered if she would wrap them around him.

"What isn't going the way it's supposed to?" Jasmine asked him.

"Well, I am supposed to arouse you before you take off some of your clothes," he said looking at her. "But you took off your clothes first. I don't know if I should deflower you or go back to the arousing part."

"How were you going to arouse me?" Jasmine asked him curiously. Mathias talking to her this way was making her feel less nervous, though she still was.

"Well I was supposed to kiss you until you responded to me, and caress you until you…" he faltered. He didn't want to say what she was supposed to do. "Then I was supposed to take off some of your clothes."

"Well, that sounds kind of nice. We could do that," Jasmine said, remembering when Mathias kissed her months ago.

"Ok," Mathias said, "But since you are only in your nightie…maybe I should take off my robes too, so we'll kind of be even. Both have only one thing to take off."

Jasmine nodded.

"That sounds fair," she said.

Mathias started to unfasten his robes. He got to his lower half and felt the tent in his boxers. Jasmine was going to see it and know he was randy for her. His hands faltered.

"What's wrong?" Jasmine asked him, stepping a little closer.

"I'm…my…you see…well I'm hard," he admitted.

Jasmine raised her eyebrows.

"Oh," she said, "But aren't you supposed to be hard?"

"Yes…it's just that no one has ever seen me hard before…except Andreas. I feel kind of strange letting you see me like this," the wizard admitted.

"This whole thing is strange, Mathias. But I'm going to have to see it sometime," Jasmine said.

The witch moved his hands aside and finished unfastening his robes for him. Knowing Mathias was nervous too made her feel much better about what they were going to do.

She drew his robes open and saw the huge tent. She went a little pale.

"That's pretty big, Mathias," she said, nervous again.

"Yes. I'm kind of large, Jasmine. But my father says a witch's body can accommodate a wizard, no matter his size. I'll fit you," the wizard said.

"Looks like it will be a tight fit," the witch responded, her eyes shifting to his.

When Jasmine said that, Mathias bounced noticeably.

Jasmine started.

"What was that?" she asked him, her eyes wide and focused on his loins.

Mathias reddened.

"I kind of throbbed when you said I'd be a tight fit. It…it…well, I want to be that. It was a physical reaction, Jasmine. I couldn't help it," the wizard said.

Jasmine looked at him a moment.

"You want to deflower me, Mathias? Not just because I asked you to?" she asked the wizard slowly.

"Yes. Very much Jasmine. You're beautiful…and I think you will be even more beautiful when we do this," the wizard admitted. "I'm honored you're going to let me be your first. It's special. You're special."

"You mean that, Mathias? You're not just saying that, are you?" Jasmine asked him, her heart starting to pound, but for a reason other than nervousness.

Mathias scowled at her.

"You know I don't say anything I don't mean, Jasmine," he said tightly. "Well, not to you or Andreas anyway."

Jasmine's eyes moved over the wizard. Then she walked behind Mathias and pulled his robes from his shoulders, and he pulled his arms of out his sleeves, watching the witch as she walked over to the chair and laid his robes on it. He could see her buttocks through the sheer nightie, and felt a pulse again, as well as a bit of anxiety as the witch turned back to him.

She looked at the snake on his chest.

"That snake is so sexy, Mathias," she said to him. This was the second time the witch had told Mathias this. His eyes glinted at her.

"Is it sexy to you?" he asked her. Last time she said no, she didn't think that way of him.

"Yes," the witch replied softly.

Mathias felt his belly tighten again.

Jasmine studied the wizard. Mathias was so handsome in a dark way. His eyes were amazing. The witch felt a pulse in her lower body at the thought that soon he would be inside her. She had no idea what it would be like, but the thought of it made her feel hot all over.

"I think we should kiss now," Jasmine said.

Anxious as he was, Mathias moved into Jasmine and wrapped his arms around her waist gently and pulled her against him, pressing his lips against hers. He mentally told himself not to pull her too tightly, but was having a hard time of it because he could feel the heat of her body through the sheer nightie, and the curve of her breasts resting lightly and softly against his chest.

Jasmine felt the hardness of the wizard's body, her hands moving to his back. She could feel Mathias' musculature beneath her palms. He smelled clean, like soap. Then he pressed into her and for the first time she felt the young wizard's erection against her belly. It felt long and hot. She began to tremble in his arms again.

Mathias looked into her eyes.

"You're trembling," he said to her softly.

"Yes," Jasmine said, blinking at him rapidly.

"Don't be scared, Jasmine. Trust me," he said, kissing her gently on her mouth.

Once again Jasmine responded to his kiss, moving her mouth against his. His mouth was so soft…so heady.

Mathias felt as if he were floating as he kissed Jasmine, and felt her kissing him back. The scent of roses washed over him and her hair fell against his shoulder. It felt so soft, he couldn't help bringing one hand up and burying it in her blonde locks, caressing it.

Their kisses were tentative at first. They would part for a second, then start again, Jasmine feeling a warmth wash over her body, her skin starting to tingle. She pressed closer to the wizard, instinctively moving against his body. Mathias began to caress her carefully, running his pale hands down her sides like his father told him. Her skin was so soft and warm, and her waist flowed to her hips.

Jasmine sighed against his mouth as he moved his hands over her body, then she started moving her hands over his. Gods, they felt good as the witch explored him. Mathias tentatively moved to Jasmine's neck, kissing it gently. She let her head drop back and gave him access. He could feel the pulse of her blood beneath her skin, and she tasted so good, he sucked on her throat, rewarded with another sigh, Jasmine pressing against him more insistently now, rubbing against his body. It felt so good that Mathias let out a low growl, surprising himself.

Hesitatingly, Mathias let his hands swept around the curves of the witch's breasts, and Jasmine gasped, but didn't pull away.

"Mathias, you…you feel so…so…good. My whole body is tingling," the witch said as the wizard's hands moved over her more confidently.

"Mine too," he murmured against her skin. He was touching every part of Jasmine now, and she didn't pull back from him…well, almost every part. He wanted to kiss her deeper, and ran the tip of his tongue over her lips. Jasmine shuddered, and Mathias gently pushed his tongue between her lips, touching her teeth. He pulled back from her a moment.

"Open your mouth, Jasmine," he said, pulling her tighter against him and beginning to rub his body against her harder. Jasmine let out a moan that shot straight to the wizard's loins as she opened her mouth and let him in.

Gods, her mouth was sweet, wet and warm. She tasted good too, and Mathias explored her mouth hungrily…and Jasmine…all feeling now, explored his as well.

Neither witch nor wizard could say when they ended up in Mathias' bed, but they found themselves there, kissing wildly now, Mathias on top of the witch and nestled between her legs, rubbing against her t unmercifully, Jasmine gasping into his mouth. Experimentally, Mathias slid his hand between their bodies and touched the witch's apex lightly. Jasmine buckled up, her eyes flying open as she felt him touch her most intimate part.

"Mathias, what are you doing?" she gasped, pulling away from his mouth

"There is a button between your legs that will make you meltdown," he said to her, slipping a finger between the witch's folds and locating it. He slid his finger back and forth over it. Gods it was wet down there, and he could smell her heat. It didn't smell bad at all. Musky.

Jasmine let out a little shriek and rolled against his hand uncontrollably.

"Oh my gods, Mathias," the witch gasped, throwing her head from side to side.

Mathias watched her. She was melting down for him.

"Does it feel good?" he asked her.

"It's…it's too good. Please stop, Mathias…I don't think I can take much more of it," the witch responded.

But Mathias didn't stop. Jasmine was bucking beneath him wildly, and he wanted to see what would happen.

"Not yet, Jasmine," he whispered, falling to her mouth again and swallowing down her cries as he continued fingering the witch, her body rolling beneath him.

Suddenly Jasmine stiffened and let out a loud cry, her body shuddering. Mathias felt his hand become very wet and was alarmed to see the witch's eyes roll up into her head. He pulled his hand away and wiped it on the sheets.

"Jasmine, are you all right?" he asked her…beginning to panic as the witch continued to shudder. What had he done wrong? His heart pounding, Mathias rolled off Jasmine and sat up in the bed, pulling her against him so her back rested against his chest.

Severus had told him about witches orgasming, but he hadn't told him exactly what the signs were. Mathias thought the witch was seizuring or something.

"I'm sorry," he said, caressing her hair and trying to comfort the witch. If it wasn't for the intimate situation they were in, he might have gone for help. "I'm so sorry, Jasmine."

Jasmine was coming down from her first orgasm. Gods, she had never felt anything so good. It was as if her insides had just melted, pouring out of her. She leaned her head back against Mathias, perspiration coating her face.

"That was incredible," she panted.

Mathias looked puzzled.

"What was incredible?" he asked the witch, greatly relieved she was talking to him. She seemed to be all right in spite of what happened to her.

"Whatever you did to me. It was like I exploded inside," she gasped.

Suddenly Mathias understood.

"You had an orgasm. A female ejaculation," he explained. "It's proof I know what I'm doing."

Jasmine didn't doubt he did now.

She pulled away from Mathias and lay down on her back, looking up at the wizard.

"Show me what else you can do," she said, her eyes soft.

Mathias arched his eyebrows at her words, then felt the strongest throb in his boxers yet.

"The only other thing I know is how to deflower you," he responded.

"Then deflower me," she replied, pulling him down.

* * *

Jasmine wrapped her arms around Mathias' neck and pulled him down into a hungry kiss. The wizard was once again lost to a sweet euphoria as the witch probed his mouth hungrily. He wasn't completely on top of her, and took the opportunity to actually cup one of her breasts this time. Jasmine moaned into his mouth this time. He felt her hard nipple against his palm, and experimentally ran his thumb over it, the witch once again buckling under him. The wzard quickly learned that when Jasmine's body jumped like that, it meant whatever he was doing felt good. Suddenly, he wanted to feel his hands on her naked skin. Mathias pulled away from her mouth.

"Let's take off our clothes," he panted down at her, his black eyes sweeping over the sheer nightie and the treasure beneath it.

Jasmine nodded and Mathias sat back on his heels as the witch lifted her hips, sliding the nightie from under them, then sat up, pulling it over her head, and revealing her body to him. Mathias' eyes dropped to her breasts. They were full and pink tipped, her nipples tight little buds, little whorls around them.

"Do your nipples always look like that?" he asked her.

"No. They're hard," the witch breathed at him.

Once again, Mathias cupped her breast, flicking his thumb over her nipple as he studied her face.

"Gods," the witch hissed in a shuddering voice, falling back to the bed. Mathias picked up her gown and dropped it on the floor, then stood up looking down on the witch. Ok. This was it.

Mathias forced himself to keep his eyes locked to Jasmine's as he pulled his boxers down and revealed himself. Jasmine's eyes widened as they dropped to his loins.

"Mathias…that looks bigger than the ones we saw in the biology books," the witch said, her eyes looking up at him, filled with apprehension again.

The wizard's organ was long, thick and pale, the tip of it rather pinkish and mushroom shaped. There were slight veins pulsing the length of it. Mathias let her take a good, long look at him.

"I don't know, Jasmine. I think the ones in the book are…well…average size. There have to be some bigger and smaller. I just happen to be bigger," he said, trying to ease her nervousness. "I think it feels better when it's bigger."

"It looks like it's going to hurt, Mathias," Jasmine replied.

Mathias climbed into the bed and lay down, facing the witch. He needed to arouse her again so she would forget she was afraid. Then he thought of something.

"Maybe if you touch it, you won't be so scared," he suggested.

Jasmine looked at Mathias' member.

"Touch it?" she asked him, looking skeptical.

"It's going to be inside of you, Jasmine. I think that is much more intimate then you touching it," Mathias said, "It might make you less nervous if you knew what it felt like first."

Jasmine looked at him, then slowly moved her hand downward. It brushed against him and Mathias hissed, his body jerking in reaction at the slight contact. No one had ever handled him before…well maybe his mum when he was a baby, but he didn't remember it, and he was sure that kind of handling was nothing compared to this.

Jasmine looked at Mathias' face as she gently wrapped her hand around his girth. The wizard's face contorted and he bit his lip, closing his eyes as her fingers curled around him. Gods, he looked so…sexy.

Mathias' reaction emboldened Jasmine. She was making him react like this, and it gave her a sense of power. She slid her hand down the length of him, and Mathias groaned, his eyes snapping open, his nostrils flaring. His tool was hard, but the skin over it was soft and moved with her hand. Jasmine slid her hand back up and Mathias groaned again, looking as if he wanted to devour her. The hungry look on the wizard's face made Jasmine's belly heat up and there was a sweet ache starting between her legs. She started running her hand back and forth over Mathias' organ purposefully, and the wizard began to shudder with pleasure and he dropped to her mouth again, claiming it hungrily, his hand massaging her breast roughly now in reaction to her ministrations.

Suddenly he felt himself tightening and Mathias pulled his hips away from her, breaking the kiss, his eyes fluttering as he felt pleasure building.

"What's wrong? Why did you make me stop?" she said to him brokenly.

Mathias desperately thought of something disturbing, Voldemort whipping Jasmine. The tightness loosened up. He looked down at the witch. Damn she had made him feel good. Then he realized she wanted an answer.

"You were going to make me come, and then we would have to wait to do it," he breathed at her.

Jasmine looked down at Mathias' organ. It looked even more swollen and was now a deeper, redder color.

"It looks like it is going to blow up," she said.

"That's how it feels too," the wizard replied, looking at her. Gods he wanted to feel himself inside her.

"I want to fuck you so badly, Jasmine."

The words came out before he could stop them and Mathias winced a little as the witch stared at him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk like that…use those kind of words…" he said to the witch, slightly embarrassed. "It's just…gods…I want to do this, Jasmine. I want to know what you feel like…it just came out," Mathias said.

Actually, Mathias had said what he did with such passion and hunger, that it shot right through the witch's body. It was nasty what he said, but…it turned her on too. Somehow, since they were like this, naked, what he said didn't seem far out of line.

"That's all right Mathias," she said softly, "I want to fuck you too."

Mathias throbbed again and blinked down at Jasmine, thinking she was the kind of witch he could talk dirty to. Not knowing what to say, he kissed her again, pulsing with need now. The wizard slid his body on top of hers, his erection resting between her legs, and he started to move again, groaning as he slid back and forth against the witch.

He pulled away from her mouth, but didn't stop moving against her.

"Do you know the difference between making love and shagging, Jasmine?" he asked her.

"Yes. Making love is tender and gentle. Shagging is kind of fast and hard," she replied breathlessly as the wizard rolled his hips between her thighs. She spread her legs a little wider to give him more access.

"When I deflower you…do you want me to make love to you, or shag you?" he asked the witch softly, stopping his motions. Jasmine arched into him, but he didn't continue. He wanted to know her answer.

"What do you want to do to me, Mathias?" she asked him.

The wizard stared down at her, so hard he was starting to ache.

"Don't answer a question with a question," he replied, kissing Jasmine's mouth lightly. "Tell me, do you want me to make love to you or shag you, Jasmine? I can do either one, I'm sure. I know how it's supposed to go. What I'm supposed to do."

"Isn't there something in the middle?" Jasmine asked him softly.

She didn't want Mathias to be forced to hold back. He never seemed to hold back in anything physical he did. But she didn't want him to hurt her either. He was so big. She was sure he was as big as a full-grown wizard. Bigger even.

"Yes, I think so," Mathias replied, beginning to move against her again. His pelvis was coated with her juices, and the scent was driving him wild.

Mathias understood now what his father meant when he said sex involved all the senses. The sight, sound, feeling, and scent of Jasmine Malfoy made him want to get closer to her, as close as he could possibly get, immerse himself in everything that she was. He began kissing her again, his stomach tightening as he realized it was time for both of them to become adults. This might be the last and only time either he or Jasmine experienced sex. Neither of them might come back tomorrow.

"You might be the only witch I ever do this to, Jasmine," he said against her mouth, slowly reaching down and slipping his arm under her thigh and pulling it forward gently, folding it against her. He was still kissing her, keeping her preoccupied, sliding to her throat for a moment, then raising up and pulling her other thigh forward. He rose up on his arms and looked down at her, the witch's thighs spread beneath him.

Jasmine had never felt so vulnerable as Mathias' dark eyes looked down on her. He was perspiring…she was sure it was nerves. The wizard's black hair swung in a dark curtain around his face. He looked at her somberly, but there was heat and hunger in those eyes. She felt as if he were swallowing her down into their blackness.

Mathias looked down between their bodies and he could see Jasmine's pink core, surrounded by curling blonde hair. It was much prettier than the drawings in the book…and wetter too. He could see droplets glistening in her pubic hair. His organ was hanging a bit further down. It looked very big next to the witch's petite body. Mathias became nervous again. His father said he could fit in any witch, but it sure didn't look like it. But he had to do this. He wanted it and Jasmine wanted it. He'd just have to swallow down his misgivings and trust his father was right. He looked at Jasmine.

"Are you ready?" he asked her, his voice silky but raw.

Jasmine blinked up at him, her hands resting on either side of her head. She nodded, unable to speak she was so scared. Her blue eyes looked very wet, and Mathias' heart went out to her. He'd have to make this quick. Mathias leaned a little to the side and fingered her a little bit. Jasmine squealed.

"I have to make sure you're lubricated," he said, "or it will hurt more."

Mathias then adjusted himself, looking down and watching to make sure he postioned himself in the right place. He hissed when he came in contact with her soft, hot flesh, his body jerking slightly in reaction. Satisfied he was where he should be, he stared down at Jasmine.

"It will only hurt for a little while, Jasmine," he said softly, "Just try to relax."

Jasmine's entire body was tense as she prepared herself.

Mathias tensed himself for a moment. He had to do this hard, quick and fast.

"Hold on to me, Jasmine," he whispered.

The witch reached down and wrapped her arms around his waist…he was too high to hold his neck.

Mathias counted down silently.

"One, two, three."

Mathias thrust his body down as quick and hard as he could. He felt some resistance as Jasmine cried out, but then he was through and buried in the tightest, softest wettest warmth he could ever imagine. He felt Jasmine pulsing around him and was blown away by how good she felt. He wanted to feel more…but he had to remember Jasmine's state.

He dropped on her and kissed her, planted deep in her body, trying to control the rush he felt to talk to the witch.

"Are you all right, Jasmine?" he whispered to her, his black eyes looking into hers. Tears slid from the corner of her eyes into her hair. "I'm sorry it hurt. But you feel so good around me, Jasmine…gods…so good. It will get better. Just tell me when I can move."

Mathias held himself very still inside the witch, but Merlin knows it was a huge effort. Jasmine felt as if she were being stretched over a very large, hot staff, but the pain was starting to fade.

"You can move, Mathias," she whispered up at the wizard.

Mathias gently pulled back, feeling the witch's inner walls caress his length. He shook as he slowly pressed back into her, parting her tightness. The pleasure was indescribable. He made sure to press against her, twisting his body a little so he was sure he stimulated the little button. Jasmine let out a moan as he stroked into her.

"Damn, Jasmine," he breathed, kissing her and stroking in and out of her body a bit deeper now. Jasmine began to move under him, thrusting her hips up and letting him go deeper. She was moaning, and it sounded as if he were doing it right.

"Do you like it?" he breathed at her, not missing one delicious stroke.

"Yessss, Mathias. You feel good," she groaned at him.

"Can I do it faster?" he asked her.

"Yes," Jasmine replied, and Mathias hungrily increased his stroke and his pleasure, pistoning into Jasmine, groaning as he did so, everything in the entire universe focused to where their bodies met. Jasmine's mouth dropped open and her fingers dug into his back, then drifted down and gripped the wizard's flanks. She had no idea she was doing this, she was just feeling him inside her and responding, wanting to feel his strong, young body flexing against hers.

Mathias hitched his hips every time he stroked into Jasmine, bumping against her like his father said to do. The witch's voice was becoming shriller and Mathias began to hit her harder, not knowing it, but driving into the witch with some force, banging against something deep inside her over and over, as he moved faster and faster. Jasmine was calling out his name now, and the way she sounded just made him lose it. She was his now…every inch of her body was his to take, and he took it as completely as he could, raising back up on his hands and driving into her, watching her body and breasts bounce rhythmically, her eyes closed as she cried out under him. Gods, she was so beautiful he couldn't stop doing what he was doing to her.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice was saying, "you are hurting her," but his body didn't respond as he plunged into the witch, his mouth slack as he looked down and saw himself sliding in and out of her body, his length coated with creamy white streaks. His body started slapping against hers rhythmically.

"Jasmine…Jasmine," he hissed as he felt the witch's sleeve suddenly grip him powerfully.

"Shit!" he gasped as she screamed and began to pulse, a gush of boiling juices rolling over him, bathing him in heat as she squeezed him internally.

Suddenly Mathias felt himself tighten and seem to shoot right out of his body as a flood of bliss poured through him and into Jasmine's soft, pulsing warmth. The wizard hissed the witch's name and dropped on her, clutching her as he fired shot after shot into her trembling body, his own body threatening to shake apart as he drifted. He held her so tight, Jasmine found it hard to breathe and struggled. Mathias loosened his hold as sanity returned and his release slowed and ended. Panting, he lay against the witch, his nose buried in her blonde hair, his own hair draped across her face. She panted under him, and he could feel Jasmine's heart racing against his own.

Presently he said softly against her ear, "That was crazy, Jasmine."

"No, that was good, Mathias," she replied, her hand brushing his hair back, her eyes softer than Mathias could ever remember. Jasmine seemed to be glowing, and he felt his chest swell a little with pride that he had made her look like that with his sex.

Mathias lay between Jasmine's open thighs. He had softened inside her, but didn't want to pull out. He wanted to stay inside Jasmine Malfoy forever. Fuck Voldemort. Fuck the wizarding world. He was buried in Paradise, and Paradise was all he wanted. Then he remembered 'the close.' Reluctantly and slowly he roll off her, savoring the sensation of sliding out of her. A very wet sound followed. Gods he was soaked, so was his bed. So was Jasmine. His wand was too far to get. He felt sleepy and comfortable. He pulled Jasmine into the crook of his arm, but the witch struggled away. Mathias scowled at her.

"Too hot," she panted.

Dad had never told him anything about that. But if she didn't want to be held, he wouldn't hold her. Instead he turned toward her, his black eyes sweeping over the body that gave him so much pleasure.

"I didn't know sex would be this good," he said to her, letting his hand fall on her flat belly and rubbing it softly.

"I didn't know you would be this good," the witch replied with a soft smile. Then her eyes clouded.

"What's wrong?" Mathias asked, his brow frowning also.

"I just thought about Voldemort tomorrow," the witch said. Suddenly she sat up.

"I'd better go, Mathias," Jasmine said.

"Go? Why go, Jasmine? Stay with me. I want…I want to do it again," Mathias said.

But the witch climbed over him and picked up her nightie from the floor, slipping it over her body. She pulled her wand out of her housecoat pocket and scourgified herself, then slipped the robe on. Mathias sat up on his elbows, watching her sullenly.

"Why are you leaving?" he asked her.

"I…I just need to go, Mathias," she said, walking to the bed, leaning over it and kissing him sweetly. "I'll never forget tonight. Thank you."

Then she cast a disillusionment spell on herself and exited his room.

Mathias stared after her. He should have grabbed her and thrown her back into his bed. He looked thoughtful. Maybe she had to come to terms with what she'd done…what they'd done. He hoped that she wouldn't regret it. Gods knew he didn't.

Mathias lay back in the bed, stretching out full length and folding his arms behind his head. His sheets smelled of sex and roses. He'd scourgify them in the morning. For now they were like a heady perfume. He hoped Jasmine could deal with what had happened between them. He had no regrets whatsoever. There wasn't anything in this world better than sex as far as Mathias Snape was concerned.

From this day forward, it would always be in the back of his mind.

* * *

Jasmine returned to her bedroom and disillusioned herself. She took off her robe and the green nightie, scourgifying it a second time and putting it back in the box for tomorrow, when she would wear it for Voldemort. She climbed into her bed, tired and wrapped her arms around herself as she thought about Mathias.

He had been better, kinder than she thought he would be. He really worked at making her feel good, and he succeeded. When they were finished, and the thought of Voldemort came to mind, the thought of the wizard being killed came to her mind as well, and she couldn't bear it. She didn't want him to see her cry. She wanted Mathias to think she was strong and ok with what he and Andreas were going to do. But she wasn't. She was scared for him. If she had stayed there, she would have told him that…and he would have seen she was weak. She didn't want him to worry that she wouldn't be able to handle what was going to happen. So she left.

Now the tears of fear came. She wasn't afraid for herself. If she died, it would just be the sins of the father visiting the child. Generational karma. And if she had to die she would rather it be trying to bring Voldemort down than any other way. But she didn't want either Mathias or Andreas to die. They were risking everything to destroy the wizard and had planned to kill him for years.

Jasmine knew nothing about Mathias' journey to the Dark Soul of the world, nor exactly how he had acquired the serpent on his chest. The witch also knew nothing about Andreas' vision. She just assumed the boys had a strong sense of loyalty to the wizarding world, and to fighting evil. As far as Jasmine was concerned, they were born heroes. She hoped they would be successful. A world with Voldemort as ruler would not be a world worth living in.

The witch rolled over, feeling a pulse as she remember Mathias driving into her so hungrily, his hair swinging, his dark eyes full of fire. What were they now? Probably nothing. There were no commitments or promises made between them. It was just one night and not based on desire, though desire was there. She went to the wizard wanting to do more when his hour came. Jasmine offered herself up hoping to save his life, not to become more than a friend to him. And he hadn't said they would be anything more.

At least she had enjoyed her deflowering. Mathias had been patient, passionate and strong. She didn't regret what they did.

She only hoped it hadn't been in vain.

* * *

Severus spent the night with a distraught Hermione. She was this way for two reasons. First she felt as if she had failed everyone by not cracking the secret of Voldemort's sinister mark. It was Hermione's first bout with failure, and the witch didn't take it well at all. The second reason was Severus was going to have to enter the Dark Lord's fortress and engage him face to face. She knew what this meant. Most likely her lover would die.

The Potions Master held the sobbing witch close in his arms, trying to comfort her.

"I have no plans of dying, witch," he said against her temple, "but if I do, I expect you to be strong and continue on. You know the risks I've taken all my life. Tomorrow, I will finally reveal my duplicity to the Dark Lord. I will be free of him either way."

"I want to be there," Hermione sobbed, "I can fight, Severus."

"No, you must help defend Hogwarts and the students that remain here in case we fail, Hermione. Keeping the castle out of his power is most important. Hogwarts may be the last free bastion in the wizarding world. Everyone will gather in the Great Hall at six-thirty and at seven, the castle defenses will lock down and stay down until they are lifted. You must stay here, my love," Severus said.

Hermione stiffened for a moment, then looked up at the wizard.

"Your love?" she repeated, her amber eyes meeting his in disbelief.

"Yes, my love…for a number of years. My unspoken love. You have my heart, witch…you are the only woman to ever capture it and you are the only woman to whom my heart will ever belong," the wizard said softly. "I can tell you now. I am free of Voldemort and no longer fear what he can do to me. So here are those three words you've felt but never heard from me. I love you."

"Oh Severus!" Hermione said, flinging herself on the wizard and covering his face with kisses. Severus enjoyed her enthusiastic attentions for several moments, then restrained her, the witch's lips still puckering as he did so.

"Should I survive Voldemort, witch…I hope you do not expect to hear those words twenty-four hours a day, or for me to walk about holding your hand or to give you chocolates and flowers. It won't happen," he said a bit gruffly.

Hermione didn't care about that. He loved her. She knew it now.

"That's fine, Severus," she replied.

The Potions Master looked at Hermione, then suddenly rolled on top of her.

"I love you, witch," he murmured, sliding inside of her, shuddering with emotion.

They made love several times that night, Hermione finally making Severus stop because he needed his strength for tomorrow.

"You will always be my only weakness," the wizard replied, pulling her close and closing his eyes.

Hermione lay against the Potions Master's chest, listening to his heart.

It just had to keep beating.

Severus just had to come back.

* * *

The next morning, Andreas, Jasmine and Mathias were making their way outside to get in their daily training when Severus stopped them.

"Good morning," he said to the trio, who returned his greeting.

"You're up early, dad," Mathias observed.

"Yes I am," Severus said. "I wanted to see the sunrise. And to catch Miss Malfoy."

His black eyes shifted to the witch.

"May I have a moment of your time, Jasmine?"

This was the first time the Professor had ever called her by her given name. Jasmine looked at Mathias and Andreas, then at Severus.

"Yes sir," she said, following him into his Head of House office.

Andreas and Mathias stood there until Severus stuck his head back out.

"You two go ahead. Jasmine will join you shortly," he said to the boys.

Andreas began walking to the common room exit, but Mathias held back a bit, craning his neck as he walked past the office.

"Come on. Your father has business with the witch. She will be fine," Andreas said.

Mathias sped up until he caught up with Andreas.

"How was last night?" Andreas asked Mathias.

"Good," the wizard replied shortly, throbbing slightly as he remembered taking Jasmine. He didn't say anything more however. He felt what happened should remain between he and the witch.

Andreas nodded.

"I hope my night with Dana will be 'good' too," the wizard said as they turned into the main hall and walked out on to the grounds of Hogwarts.

Jasmine joined them about forty-five minutes later and immediately began her warm-ups. Mathias looked at her, and his belly tightened. But the witch had shown no difference toward him when they met up this morning. She acted as if nothing had happened between them…so he followed suit, not wanting to appear like some kind of fawning git. It had happened…now it was over. Still, he was curious as to what his father wanted and walked over to the witch, watching her bend her body limberly. When she straightened, he moved in.

"So, what did my father want, Jasmine?" Mathias asked.

"It's something between he and I, Mathias. I don't want to talk about it," she responded, twisting her body back and forth.

This was one of the rare times Mathias used legilimency on Jasmine. Too much was at stake for secrets now…but he found he couldn't penetrate her mind. The witch was too full of emotion. No matter how calm she appeared on the outside, inwardly she was boiling over. Well, at least she could physically control herself despite her feelings. She would do well tonight.

"All right," he said, walking away then taking off at a jog. Andreas joined him as Jasmine went through her sets.

Her eyes were wet with tears.

* * *

Kingsley gave the Order members involved in the assault on Voldemort's stronghold their final instructions. Harry and Ron were among them, the sword of Gryffindor in a scabbard tied around Harry's waist, and Ron with a wicked short sword attached to his fighting robes. Every member was dressed in white, symbolic of the Good.

"You all have your Track-a Ports, your weapons and your partners?" he asked, his deep voice enhanced by the Sonorous charm as he addressed the contingent of fifteen hundred Order members.

They all murmured agreement, Ron and Harry looking at each other and clasping hands.

"Fine. Between seven and seven-thirty tonight, Order member Severus Snape will face and distract Lord Voldemort so the protective wards around his fortress will drop. When that occurs, the green light on top of the Track-a-Port will begin blinking, indicating the destination is available because it will be able to read Severus. Press the blue button and you will be transported. Keep your arms linked as you transport. We don't want anyone left behind who doesn't have a Track-a-port. We need each and every one of you."

Kingsley's brown eyes swept the group.

"Remember, this is a physical attack, not a magical one. Albus will do his best to occupy Voldemort to the point our numbers can physically overpower him. You are to take him out with extreme malice. The more pieces he's cut into, the better."

The wizards and witches all cheered. They would do their best.

* * *

At five o'clock, Severus arrived at Order headquarters, collected what he needed and left, heading back to Hogwarts.

At five thirty, Mathias and Andreas arrived at Jasmine's room. They went over the scenario a final time. By six-fifteen they were ready.

At six-thirty, Draco arrived at Hogwarts to retrieve his daughter. He felt cold inside at the thought of delivering her to Voldemort for deflowering, but it couldn't be helped. He entered Slytherin house and walked directly to her room. He knocked.

"Jasmine, it's time," her father said.

Jasmine opened the door and looked at her father with empty eyes. She was dressed in her Slytherin dress robes, her hair brushed out and wore a little makeup. Draco looked her over. She was so beautiful his heart ached. He steeled himself.

"You are wearing the nightie only beneath your robes?" he asked her.

Jasmine nodded.

"Then we'd better go," Draco said, offering his daughter his arm.

She didn't take it. He couldn't blame her.

They walked through Hogwarts silently, out on to the grounds and through the gates. Draco could have unwarded the gates as easily as Severus, but the Dark Lord wanted this final proof of the Potions Master's loyalty.

Draco placed his arm through Jasmine's. She was stiff and silent.

"The Dark Lord is going to look much different than he did at the party, Jasmine. But despite his appearance, he is a man. You must not flinch or show any reluctance towards him. He is very sensitive about his appearance, and there have been stories about how brutal he is to women who show disgust. So you have to be strong, Jasmine," Draco said softly. "You'll get through this."

"If I do, it will be no thanks to you, father," she said quietly, not looking at him.

Draco's eyes swept over her as his heart clutched in his chest. Jasmine had no idea how giving her to the Dark Lord tore at his soul. But it was a matter of survival.

They disapparated.

* * *

Jasmine and Draco appeared in the throne room, both immediately dropping to one knee and bowing their heads before the throne.

Voldemort sat there, resplendent in golden robes. His red eyes glittered at the sight of Jasmine.

"Arise and approach the throne, Consort," the wizard lisped.

Jasmine rose. Careful to keep her eyes lowered, she approached the wizard's throne.

"Look at me," Voldemort hissed.

Jasmine raised her eyes and looked upon Voldemort. Her insides clutched as she looked at the bald, scaly wizard. No beautiful robes could hide his hideousness, his horrible red eyes washing over her.

Voldemort's tool snaked lustfully as he met Jasmine's ice-blue eyes and swept over her robes. She didn't react to his appearance. Good. He would have been very displeased if she had. He looked at Draco.

"Return to the troops, Draco. You have done well," he said.

"Yes, my Lord," Draco replied, his eyes still on the floor.

The wizard hesitated, then disapparated.

Voldemort looked at Jasmine, then rose and approached her. Jasmine stood her ground, but lowered her eyes again. She didn't want to look at him. She felt his finger under her chin and lifted her face to his.

"Are you afraid, Jasmine Malfoy?" he asked her, his red eyes glistening.

"Yes," Jasmine said in a low voice.

Voldemort chuckled.

"It's good that you don't attempt to lie to me, Jasmine. Come," he said, grasping her hand in his elegant, scaly cold one. It was all Jasmine could do to keep from recoiling.

"Let us go to my bedchamber," the wizard said, leading her from the throne room.

There were no deatheaters in evidence, all of them being deployed and disillusioned in various areas of the wizarding world.

Voldemort looked back at the witch. She was Draco's daughter. He had never properly paid Draco back for his incompetence.

He was going to love punishing her. He sped up.

* * *

Severus stood in his bedroom, looking at the clock. It read seven-ten. He looked at his companion.

"Let's go," he said, disapparating.

Severus appeared in the empty throne room.

He looked around. There were no deatheaters in sight. They were all deployed. The Dark Lord must be with Jasmine. The wizard reached into his pocket and pulled out a Track-a-port, and stared at it, unmoving. It wasn't yet time.

* * *

Voldemort led Jasmine into his bedchambers. There were black velvet wall curtains covering the stone, a large black wardrobe against one wall, and a huge four-poster bed with ornately carved head and end boards. The wizard let go of her hand.

"I am not a patient man, Jasmine Malfoy. You will most likely be the last piece I get for some time. Reveal yourself to me," he hissed at the witch, his eyes focused on her robes.

Jasmine slipped off her shoes and began to unbutton her robes, the dark wizard beginning to breathe heavily, making her blood run cold. She opened her robes and slid them off her shoulders, revealing the sheer green nightie. It did nothing to hide her body.

"Yessss," Voldemort said, starting to unbutton his own robes. Then he stopped, his eyes narrowing. "What are you wearing on your wrists?"

"Bracelets, my Lord," Jasmine said, holding out her arms. A bracelet made of ivory graced one wrist and one of onyx the other.

"You were to come to me unadorned!" the wizard seethed, snatching the bracelets off her wrists and flinging them into the corner.

"I'm sorry my Lord," Jasmine said in a low voice. "I just didn't want to be plain for you."

Voldemort calmed down. He hated disobedience.

"Plain is how I want you, witch," he hissed.

His forked tongue flickered out and it was all Jasmine could do to keep from screaming in shock and horror. Gods, she didn't want him to touch her.

"Have you saved yourself for me, witch?" the Dark Lord asked her.

This was it.

Jasmine didn't answer him, but dropped her head. Voldemort scowled at receiving no answer.

"Jasmine, has anyone touched you? Have you been touched?" the wizard asked, his voice going higher as the girl wouldn't look at him.

"I'm not a virgin, my Lord. I was seduced. I'm sorry my Lord," Jasmine said, meeting his eyes rather defiantly, despite her apology.

"What? You are not a virgin? You whore!" Voldemort screamed, backhanding the witch and knocking her to the floor, blood flying from her mouth.

At that moment, the two bracelets on the floor flashed and transformed into Mathias and Andreas both with wands in hand. The two wizards quickly cast two powerful dampening spells with their signatures attached before Voldemort could react. Andreas held a flask and a machete in one hand. He set the flask on the floor, and gripped his machete, his dark eyes full of hate as he eyed the Dark Lord.

"What is this treachery?" Voldemort yelled at Jasmine before facing the two boys. "No matter. You both die now!"

Voldemort thrust his palms forward, but only a very weak pulse emitted. The dampening spell stopped his magic.

Andreas and Mathias both charged the wizard with blood curdling yells, Andreas hefting the machete high, intending on cutting the wizard in half. Mathias was intending to tackle him.

What no one realized was that Voldemort was a skilled fighter. The ROR did not show this because it had no point of reference. The wizard slipped Andreas' blow, catching his wrist and painfully crushing it so the wizard dropped the blade, then hitting him with a crushing blow in the face, knocking him back, then spinning like a matador, Mathias flying past him. The machete slid under the bed out of reach.

"You young pups are no match for me," the wizard hissed, attacking Andreas with a series of kicks and blows, driving him back as Mathias recovered and charged him from behind, grasping the wizard around his throat. Voldemort threw him over his shoulder into Andreas, sending both boys crashing into the wall and laughing as they quickly regrouped.

"I'm going to beat you both to death," he said advancing.

Jasmine suddenly leaped on the wizard's back, desperately hanging on and trying to drag him backwards. The witch's sudden weight threw the Dark Lord off balance and Andreas and Mathias charged, slamming into the wizard and taking him down. Now all three wrestled desperately with the wizard. Andreas screamed at Jasmine.

"Get the flask! We can hold him! Get the flask, Jasmine!"

Jasmine untangled herself and gave the Dark Lord a good kick in the head before running for the flask and grabbing it.

"Now Mathias!" Andreas cried, hanging on to the Dark Lord for dear life.

Both of his arms wrapped around Voldemort's throat, Mathias suddenly slumped. Then Voldemort stretched out his hand.

"Open the flask and give it to him, Jasmine!" Andreas cried.

The witch pulled the stopper out of the flask and handed it to the wizard. He seemed to struggle but brought the flask to his lips and drank the contents down. Andreas released Voldemort and he fell back against Mathias, who was unconscious.

The Dark Lord panicked. He couldn't move and he wasn't alone. Something had forced him to drink whatever was in that flask.

Andreas stood up and pulled Mathias from under the wizard and off to the side.

"What's wrong with Mathias?" Jasmine asked, kneeling over the wizard.

"He's gone on a journey with the Dark Lord," Andreas said, retrieving his machete from under the bed and purposely walking towards the Dark Lord's prone body. He straddled it.

"Jasmine, I suggest you turn away. I must make sure the Dark Lord has no body to return to," he said soberly. He lifted his blade high.

Jasmine turned her head just as Andreas brought the blade down viciously.

* * *

Severus saw the button turn blue, and pressed it. Instantly he and his companion port keyed to Jasmine's side, just in time to witness Andreas decapitate the Dark Lord. Black blood poured from the severed neck. Severus looked down at the Dark Lord as Andreas lifted his machete again and began to quarter him, his dark eyes glinting as he cut through bone and sinew.

In the throne room, the Order members appeared, Albus at the head, ready to flow over the Dark Lord. But he was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Severus.

"Where are they?" Albus muttered as the Order members looked about in confusion.

Severus suddenly let out a howl and grasped his mark. It was burning worse than it ever had. He fell to his knees, roaring as the mark glowed, then flashed. It vanished.

All around the wizarding world, people with the mark, both deatheater and DKV member were suffering similarly as the mark heated up, burned, flashed and disappeared. All of the waiting ranks collapsed howling, Draco among them. When he recovered, he quickly apparated to Voldemort's throne room, arriving in the midst of the Order members, who grabbed him.

"Where's Jasmine?" he cried.

* * *

Andreas finished hacking up Voldemort's body, sweat pouring from him. Mathias lay with his head resting on Jasmine's thighs. The witch kept her face turned away from the carnage.

Finished, Andreas stepped back from his handiwork and wiped his brow. He looked at Severus' companion.

"He's all yours, Gabby," the wizard said. "He is the reason your mistress is dead. Have your revenge."

The weredog walked forward, sniffed the remains, flicked his ears forward, then started eating. He was ravenous.

Mathias' eyes fluttered, then opened. He looked up at Jasmine.

"Did it work? Did we kill him?" he asked the witch.

"Yes, Mathias…he's gone," Jasmine said softly. "Voldemort is gone."

Mathias sat up and looked at Gabby, busily consuming what used to be Lord Voldemort. Then he looked up at his father.

"We did it, dad. Everyone is safe now," he said.

Severus nodded.

"Yes, son. You, Andreas and Jasmine did it. You're heroes," he said quietly.

Suddenly there was a loud battering on the door.

"Boys, take off your dampening spell," the Potions Master said to the wizards. Andreas retrieved his and Mathias' wand, and stepping over the blood gingerly, handed Mathias' his. Both wizards removed their spells, then Severus pointed his own wand at the door, opening it. Albus, Draco, Harry, Ron and other Order members spilled into the room

They all stared at the weredog as he mouthed Voldemort's head playfully. He had consumed everything else, licked up all the blood and was now tossing the wizard's head up like a ball, his huge tail flailing back and forth in pleasure. It was quite a grisly scene actually.

Albus looked at Severus.

"Seems we were a bit late," he said to the wizard. "But you did it, Severus."

Mathias quickly retrieved Jasmine's robes and covered the witch with them. The Potions Master shook his head in negation.

"Voldemort was already taken down when I arrived by Andreas, Mathias and Jasmine. I just brought the cleanup," the wizard replied, looking at Gabby, who was rolling all over Voldemort's head, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

Everyone's eyes widened at this, looking at Andreas' blood splattered wife beater and Mathias' bruises.

"I don't bloody believe it," Ron said shaking his head in awe.

"Well believe it, Mr. Weasley. These young Slytherins did what we could not," the Potions Master said, looking at all of them with pride.

They were all from his house. He had bragging rights for the rest of his life as far as the other Heads of Houses were concerned. Gryffindor had fallen as the house of heroes. Slytherin now had that claim to fame, and always would.

Jasmine buttoned her robes and walked over to pick up her shoes. Draco stared at her.

"Jasmine…are you all right?" he asked her.

"I'm fine, father," she said coldly.

Draco's eyes shifted to the head that Gabby was knocking about with his paws.

"I'm free," the wizard thought. "At last, I'm free of him."

Well, technically Draco was free…of Voldemort at least. Whether he would be free of Azkaban was another story.

Severus gathered his Slytherins together, spreading his arms to surround them.

"I believe I will take our heroes back to Hogwarts. They've been through enough tonight," he said, herding them toward the door.

The ranks of the Order parted to let them through. A small shout sounded, then suddenly the entire contingent began cheering for the youngsters as they passed through, patting their shoulders and congratulating them. Severus did his best to prevent the happy wizards and witches from closing over them. Finally he got to a free area in the throne room and disapparated with the three.

Albus looked down at Gabby, who had backed into a corner, Voldemort's head tucked between his paws protectively. He growled.

"Anyone care to try to get that?" Albus asked the Order members.

They all murmured in negation as the weredog's yellow eyes swept over them.

Albus shrugged. He wasn't about to hex Gabby. He had served the wizarding world well. There was no hope of Voldemort reviving after being 'processed' through the weredog's system.

They'd just have to wait until Gabby tired of his toy.

* * *

Mathias clung to Voldemort's soul as they began their journey back through his life. It was much different than Mathias' own journey had been. Instead of images on a black background, a deep crimson color surrounded them on all sides and screams reverberated all around them. Images of wizards and wizards being tortured and murdered swirled around them. Every image seemed to be based on pain and bloodshed.

Mathias saw his father for a moment swinging in manacles, a wand tapping a forearm and the Dark Mark appearing. Then he saw Harry Potter diving behind a gravestone, and then a dark forest with rats fleeing before them, then a lovely green eyed-woman screaming "not my baby!" then three people in a house, two wizards and a witch being enveloped in green light, and an old witch falling, blood flowing from her head, then a place with a lot of taunting children, then a dark-haired woman, very large, looking down at them, then flopping back, dead. Then came the pressure as they re-entered the womb.

Mathias could feel the fear radiating off Voldemort as they moved toward the plain, the cities of the world rising and falling until they came to the creation of the world, and then the nothingness, and the crimson and inky black sky that signaled they had arrived at the plain of the Dark Soul of the World. Both Mathias and Voldemort floated down, landing on the plain, the mountains in the distance. Mathias looked over at the naked wizard.

Voldemort looked nothing like he did in the bedroom chambers. He looked like an ordinary wizard, dark-haired and dark eyed. Actually, he looked just like he did when Mathias was evaluated.

"Where am I? What have you done you little bastard?" Tom Riddle said to Mathias.

Above them, two huge red eyes opened in the mass of roiling black clouds.

"I've taken you on a journey. A one-way journey," Mathias said, backing up from the wizard in case he attacked him. Tom thrust his hands at the young wizard, but nothing happened.

"Magic doesn't work here," Mathias said.

"Where is here? What is this cursed place?" the wizard demanded. He looked down at himself for a moment. "What is this? Why do I look like this?"

_Because your soul, black as it is, hasn't changed. It does not reflect the monster you've become, Tom Riddle_

Voldemort whirled as the deep, silken voice of the Dark Soul answered him.

"Who addresses me in such a manner? My name is Lord Voldemort!" the wizard seethed, "The most powerful wizard in the wizarding world!"

The Dark Soul chuckled.

_No longer. You are dog food now. Or soon will be._

"How dare you! Show yourself!" Tom spat.

_Look up, proud wizard. Look up and see the Master of your Soul_.

Tom looked up and blanched at the red eyes focused on him. Then he regrouped.

"A drifting wad of black cloud claims to be my master? Even a wind could scatter you!" the wizard hissed. He turned to Mathias.

"Get me out of here, you little fuck, or I'll tear your head off!" he threatened the boy.

Suddenly a fork of lightning blasted a crater by Tom's feet. He jumped and looked up at the sky. The black cloud was rolling angrily, the eyes narrowed.

_You dare insult and defy the Dark Soul of the World, wizard? _

Tom looked up at the cloud nervously now.

The Dark Soul addressed Mathias.

_You and your brother have come very close to me this day, Mathias Snape. Even now Andreas does a dark deed that stains his soul. The only thing that saves him is the one he destroys is much more evil, and his departure from the world balances the boy towards good. Again he escapes me. But I will keep this one. You may return, Mathias Snape, but I will be waiting for you to fall to me. You are dark. You can do great evil.  
_  
Mathias looked up at the Dark Soul.

"Don't count on it," he replied, feeling himself lightening and lifting off the plain. "I plan to give evil a wide berth from now on."

"Wait!" Tom cried, rushing forward and trying to grab Mathias by his ankle, but he was insubstantial, and the wizard's hand passed right through. "Take me with you!"

"You're home, Voldemort. Right where you belong," Mathias called down to him. Then the boy disappeared.

"Nooooo!" Tom cried extending his arms toward where the boy disappeared. "Don't leave me in this desolate place!"

_It is not completely desolate Tom Riddle. You have created quite a city here. Here comes one of its citizens now.  
_  
The red eyes shifted toward the mountains. A lone figure was walking towards Voldemort, covering ground quickly though jerkily.

"Who is that?" he asked, fear rising like bile in his throat.

The woman walked forward, stopping a few feet from him, her face in shadow.

"You remember me Tom?" the woman said in an ancient voice.

"No, I don't know you," Tom replied.

"You should know me. You met me when you worked at Borgin and Burke's in Knockturn Alley, and murdered me for a relic of Helga Hufflepuff's and the heavy gold Slytherin locket that once belonged to your mother. Then you pinned my murder on my poor faithful house elf, Hokey. I was your first victim," the witch hissed, stepping forward, her wrinkled face contorted with hatred and her eyes glowing redly. "And I am only one of the residents of the 'City of the Dead' you created."

Her gnarled hands were like claws, with long sharp nails and when she smiled at him, Tom saw with horror that her mouth was filled with pointed teeth. He backed away from her.

"Get away from me!" he cried.

The Dark Soul chuckled.

_More come to greet you, Tom Riddle._

Suddenly Tom saw a crowd of people walking, limping and even crawling towards him. All the wizards, witches, muggles and children he had ever murdered. James and Lily Potter were in the lead, their faces contorted and red eyes glowing. His father, grandfather and grandmother who he had murdered at the Riddle House walked toward him stiffly. There were hundreds. Thousands. All moving toward him, all coming to claim their revenge.

"No!" Tom screamed. He fled, the red eyes of the Dark Soul upon him. Suddenly he ran into a wall of stone and fell back. The wizard stood up and found he was in a cul-de-sac of stone…his victims crowding through the neck of it. He had nowhere to go.

"Mercy!" he screamed up at the silent cloud.

_Mercy is only for the merciful Tom Riddle. You will relive every torment, be torn apart again and again, scourged and beaten, the pain a thousand-fold stronger than that you inflicted. There is no Death here. Your cries will be my music for an eternity. There is no reward for evil but evil, Tom Riddle…and you have an endless treasure trove to explore._

Tom Riddle backed against the wall as the first wave of his victims reached out for him. He fought frantically as they pulled him into their midst, smelling of death, tearing at his flesh and cursing his very soul. They closed over the screaming wizard, their bodies churning.

Above it all, the Dark Soul watched silently. The pain, fear and horror of suffering wizard would be a source of strength forever.

* * *

Back in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, Hermione counted heads from a list provided of the students that remained. Jasmine Malfoy had been picked up by her father, but the witch noted that neither Mathias nor Andreas were present.

"Where are they?" she said to herself looking at the clock.

All of the staff was in the Great Hall as well to protect the students and Hogwarts proper if it came to that. Hermione's brow wrinkled. Minerva saw the distressed look on the witch's face and walked over to her.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" she asked the witch.

"My son and his friend aren't here, and the doors are about to lock," Hermione said anxiously. "Maybe I should go look for them."

"No, you have to stay here to protect the students, Hermione. I know Mathias is your son, but you can't abandon all the students we have here in search of one. Besides, when the castle locks down, everything locks down. Even if Mathias and his friend don't make it to the Great Hall, they will be protected. And they are far from babies," Minerva said with a scowl. They'd been hexing Gryffindors effectively for years.

"Still, I wonder where they are. They know they're supposed to be here. They don't have to worry about the Dark Lord's forces. I'm going to kill both of them," she said frowning darkly as she looked at the open doors of the Great Hall. Suddenly they slammed shut. Shutters formed over the windows, and the illusion of sky above the hall phased out into stone.

"Well, we are locked down. Not a single door in Hogwarts will open until the threat is past," Minerva said.

She looked at Hermione.

"Don't worry. Those boys are fine. They won't find any devilment to do while Hogwarts is in defensive mode. So come along Hermione. We are going to play some games to keep the students occupied," Minerva said, turning and walking toward one of the long tables. There were about two hundred students, and they all looked very disconcerted. They hadn't been told why they were in the Great Hall.

Dana Jackson looked around for Andreas and didn't see him. Then she looked for his shadow, Mathias…but he was nowhere to be seen either. Her brow furrowed. Andreas wouldn't have missed an opportunity to spend time with her unless something more important was happening with him.

Dana felt a pulse of fear as she remembered him telling her he was going to kill the Dark Lord. No one told her the reason they were sequestered in the Great Hall…but the witch saw the doors lock, and noticed how nervous the teachers were, though they tried to hide it. They all were in danger, and she was sure it had something to do with Voldemort.

Suddenly, she began to believe what Andreas had said to her. He was a very powerful wizard for his age both physically and magically. He knew how to use weapons as well as a wand. Andreas was also very brave. He made six Gryffindors back down one day without even drawing his wand.

It kind of turned her on to have a wizard like him wanting her out of all the witches at Hogwarts. A lot of them would shag him. She had heard it for herself when he would walk by and didn't see her. A lot of commentary would follow him such as, "Gods, he's gorgeous," or "I've got a craving for chocolate."

If he and Mathias had gone after Voldemort, what if they were killed? Dana blinked back the tears in her eyes. Maybe she should have shagged Andreas. She might not get the chance now, and she really did like the wizard enough to be intimate with him. Dana didn't love him but she would still enjoy having sex with him, she was sure.

Gods, wherever the wizard was, she hoped he was safe.

* * *

About forty-five minutes later, the doors of the Great Hall suddenly opened, the shutters disappeared, and the illusioned ceiling reappeared, stars glistening brightly in the winter sky.

"It's over already?" Minerva said, clapping her hands together.

Suddenly a shrill scream filled the hall as Poppy fell to the floor, gripping her forearm and shrieking in pain as her mark burned her. Hermione and the other staff members ran to the witch, the students looking on wide-eyed. Presently the witch stopped screaming and pulled up her sleeve.

"It's gone," she panted. "The Dark Mark is gone."

Hermione examined her arm. Indeed, the flesh was smooth and unmarked, as if it had never been there. She knew at that moment, Voldemort was dead. But what about Severus? Had he survived or had he made the ultimate sacrifice for the wizarding world? The witch's stomach clinched as she thought of Severus gone…out of her life. What would she do? No other wizard could replace him in her heart.

She blinked back tears as the staff all hugged each other and the students, who had no idea what was going on until Flitwick shouted, "The Dark Lord is dead!"

Then the students cheered and enthusiastically returned the teacher's hugs. Voldemort was like the muggle boogeyman, something lurking in the dark just beyond where he could be seen. His being dead was a real cause for celebration.

* * *

Voldemort's ranks rose from the ground, pulling back their sleeves and seeing the Dark Mark was gone. They weren't sure what had happened, but they all knew the Dark Lord couldn't summon them anymore.

"Fuck this. I'm getting out of here," one deatheater said, pulling off his mask, tossing it to the ground and instantly disapparating. He didn't want to be a peacekeeper. He was only here because Voldemort could kill him. Without the mark the wizard wouldn't be able to find him. He was out of there.

He wasn't alone either. As soon as they realized they no longer held the mark, the deatheaters all headed for home, leaving their masks behind. In essence, they were deserting…all five thousand of them. These were inner circle, original deatheaters, who knew what an insane despot Voldemort was. He had been killing them indiscriminately for years. Out of five thousand deatheaters, not a single one returned to the fortress to see if their leader was all right.

If he wasn't, so much the better.

The next morning found numerous wizarding children running around the streets of cities, villages and towns, wearing half-skull masks they found in piles, just waiting to be played with.

Their parents were less than thrilled.

* * *

Hermione was standing in the middle of the aisle of the Great Hall, tears dripping from her eyes when Severus entered with Mathias, Andreas and Jasmine. She wasn't facing the door. Severus could tell by her body language that she was crying and strode past the trio and up behind the witch. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it over her shoulder.

"You look like you could use this, witch," he said silkily.

At the sound of his voice Hermione turned and looked up at him with startled eyes.

"Severus?" she said, stunned for a moment.

He gave her a slight bow.

"The one and only," he replied with a smirk.

Hermione let out a scream and launched herself at the wizard, leaping on him and wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and kissing him deeply. The whole hall went silent in amazement as the pretty witch kissed the meanest, coldest, snarkiest Professor in the history of Hogwarts…and what was worse…he was kissing her back. And he seemed to be a decent kisser.

Little cries of "ugh" and "gross" went up around the room as the couple continued to kiss, quite passionately. Finally Mathias walked up and tugged on his father's robes. Severus pulled away from Hermione's mouth and scowled down at his son.

"What?" he asked snarkily.

"Uh, dad…you might want to take this to your rooms unless you want every student in Hogwarts spilling their guts on the floor," Mathias said, smirking at him.

Severus looked around, unwrapped Hermione from around him and set her on the floor a bit gingerly. Then he scowled blackly at everyone and said, "Haven't you people ever seen a kiss before?"

The scowl wasn't half as effective as it could have been, because the wizard was rather red in the face. He grabbed Hermione by the hand and strode out of the Great Hall, the witch almost running to keep up with him.

Dana walked up to Andreas, her brown eyes taking in all the dried blood on his shirt. She looked up at him.

"You did it, didn't you Andreas? You killed the Dark Lord," she whispered up at him.

Andreas nodded.

"Not me alone, but yes…our plan worked. He is very, very dead," the wizard replied, looking down at her. "And you know what that means, Dana."

She gave him a shy smile.

"Yes, Andreas. I know what that means," she replied.

He nodded.

"Good. Meet me at the room of requirement just before curfew tomorrow night. You need wear nothing but your robes," he said, his dark eyes glittering at her.

"All right," she said softly.

Andreas leaned down and kissed her gently on the mouth. The witches watching them swooned. He pulled away from Dana, who seemed frozen in place, her lips still puckered.

"That should hold you until tomorrow night," Andreas said, "I must go and wash the blood from my body."

Dana watched as he turned and headed for the open doors. Andreas stopped by Jasmine and Mathias.

"This will be the last quiet night. Tomorrow we will be famous," he said. "Things will be much different."

Mathias nodded and looked at Jasmine.

"The last quiet night," he said to her, hoping she would come to his room. She still had on that green nightie under her robes.

"Well, I intend to take full advantage of it and get some sleep," she replied.

The look in Mathias' eyes told her the wizard was disappointed. Andreas knew they needed a moment and walked out of the door, heading for Slytherin house. Jasmine and Mathias slowly followed him, hanging back.

When they entered the main hall, Mathias looked at Jasmine.

"Don't you want to come to my room, Jasmine? We could…" he said to the witch.

Jasmine shook her head.

"What we did last night, Mathias…we did for a reason. We didn't make a commitment to each other…we shared an intimate moment, and I did it out of hope of saving your and Andreas' lives. It worked. Losing my virginity enraged Voldemort enough for you to safely transform and cast your spells. That's why I did it, Mathias. We aren't a couple," she said gently.

Mathias looked at her.

"But you like me Jasmine…I know you do," he said. "I've known for a while now…and last night, I could feel it inside you. Hear it in your voice. I saw it in your eyes."

"But like isn't love, Mathias. When I was listening to my father, I knew he wanted me to use sex to advance our cause…but now that I'm thinking for myself, I don't want to do that. If I have sex with someone, it will be because I love him, and no other reason," she said.

"And as much as I care about you, Mathias…I don't love you. So the answer is no, I won't come to your room with you. What we did, I liked it…I really did. You made losing my virginity enjoyable and I will never forget what we shared. But the next time I am with a wizard, I want to be head over heels in love with him. You can understand that, can't you Mathias?" Jasmine asked him.

Mathias' chest felt very tight.

"Yes…yes, I understand that Jasmine," he said quietly.

"But I will always be your friend, Mathias…until the day I'm buried, I will always love you as a friend," the witch said.

She kissed him on the cheek.

"I guess friends will have to do then," the wizard said resignedly. Then he looked at her, perking up a bit.

"How about friends with privileges?"

Jasmine scowled at him.

"No! You get no privileges other than the ones you already have," she said.

Mathias shrugged.

"You can't blame a wizard for trying," he replied smirking at her.

Mathias had enjoyed shagging Jasmine, but she made it clear it was a one-time occurrence. He didn't love her either, at least not as a girlfriend. But he wouldn't have minded regular sex with her.

Mathias sighed as he and Jasmine headed for Slytherin house.

Oh well, there were plenty of other witches at Hogwarts, and by the time this hero thing got around, Mathias was sure he'd have his pick of them.

* * *

"Severus! Slow down!" Hermione panted as the Potions Master pulled her along behind him.

The wizard seemed to suddenly realize he was dragging the witch behind him, and stopped. Hermione took a few deep breaths, then looked up at him. Severus was scowling at her.

"What?" she asked him, frowning back.

"Did you have to put on that…that…display in front of the entire school?" he asked her imperiously.

Hermione snatched her hand out of his.

"Well, forgive me for being happy that you're alive," she responded.

"Being happy to see me is one thing, Hermione, but to latch on to me like the Giant Squid and attach your lips to mine as if they were suckers was out of line," he said.

Now Hermione really frowned.

"You were doing quite a bit of sucking yourself, Severus Snape," she seethed at him.

"Purely a physical reaction," he replied, starting to walk again, "a reaction that you caused, I may add."

"You can be a real ass sometimes, you know that Severus?" Hermione said as she followed him. "You come back from the brink of death, then gripe about me kissing you in public…while completely ignoring the fact you were kissing me back."

Severus spun on her.

"Did you just call me an ass?" he asked her, his dark eyes glittering.

"I certainly did," Hermione replied, refusing to be cowed by the wizard.

Severus' eyes swept over her.

"Let's go to my rooms and 'discuss' this properly," he said evenly, catching the witch by the hand again. He didn't walk as fast this time.

After a few moments silence, Hermione asked, "So who killed Voldemort? Was it you or Albus or the Order members?"

"We'll talk about it after you've given me a bit of 'welcome home' sex," the Potions Master said.

He didn't want to tell her about Mathias' huge role in killing the Dark Lord until after he took her. If he told her before hand, she might not let him dip his wand. And his wand was quite ready for dipping. Voldemort's death was a great aphrodisiac. Finally, he was his own man again, bound neither to Albus or Voldemort. A celebratory free-man fuck was definitely in order. He didn't want anything ruining it.

Hermione had other ideas, however.

"No. It's exciting. Tell me now, Severus," she said as they stopped in front of his office door.

Severus quickly unwarded it, opened the door and unceremoniously pushed Hermione through, following her and closing the door behind them, rewarding it. He then opened the study wall and pushed Hermione through as well.

Hermione whirled on him.

"Stop pushing me!" she said to him. Severus scowled at her.

"I'll be doing more than pushing you, witch," he said pulling out his wand.

Hermione tried to dodge his spell but he got her anyway.

"Divesto!" he cried.

Hermione was instantly naked.

"I'm not doing anything with you until you tell me what happened, Severus!" she declared, running over to the fireplace, one of the armchairs between them.

Severus smirked and divestoed his own clothes. He was naked and erect, his black eyes glittering. He loved a good chase.

"You think that do you?" he asked the witch, stalking her.

"You…you stay away from me, Severus. I'm not willing," she said, scooting to the other side of the chair.

"You're always willing, witch, once I get my hands on you," he replied silkily.

He feinted at her, and Hermione shrieked and ran toward the sofa. Severus hopped over the small table between the two armchairs and blocked her way, grinning lasciviously as she ran back for the armchairs.

Hermione running around with her breasts bouncing and buttocks shifting wasn't doing a thing to cool the wizard's ardor. He took off after her at quarter speed, pursuing her around the study, close to the walls, his black eyes locked on her body, a smile on his face as Hermione screamed and fled, her hair bouncing. She ran into the bedroom and slammed the door.

Severus stopped chasing her and shook his head. Definitely a tactical error on her part. He walked over to the sofa and picked up his wand, then walked over to the bedroom door and leaned against it. He knew Hermione was on the other side, probably holding it with her hands since her wand was out here with her clothing, neatly lying beside the folded fabric on top of his writing desk.

"Hermione, do you really think you can keep me out of my own bedroom?" he purred against the door.

Hermione was right where he knew she was. She held both hands tightly against the door, and didn't reply.

"Hermione, I've just faced death. Do you think it's fair to want idle chitchat when what I need now is a life-affirming experience to cement my survival in my mind?" he said silkily. "I'll tell you what you want to know after my continued existence has been…confirmed. Now be a good little witch and let your randy Potions Master in."

Hermione scowled at the door.

"I love youuuu," the Potions Master sang.

Hermione flung the door open furiously.

"How dare you! How dare you just…just…throw those words around to get sex! And after I waited so long to hear them! You're just…just…"she yelled at the wizard

"A Slytherin?" Severus finished for her, stepping through the door.

"Yes!" she spat.

Severus closed the door behind him and warded it securely, then he looked at Hermione.

"Hermione, those three little words have been used to access pussy from the time men and women were first created. That I use them to my own benefit should come as no surprise, witch," he said in a low voice as he advanced on her. He grabbed Hermione and pulled her tight against his body.

"Besides witch, in your case…those words are true," he said, kissing her hungrily.

Hermione went stiff for a moment, then melted against the wizard, returning his kiss.

He did love her. And really, that was all that mattered.

Severus backed her up towards the bed, stopping when the back of her knees hit the mattress. He pulled back from her mouth.

"I'll be right back," he said, removing her arms from around his neck and walking into the bathroom. Hermione watched him walk away, her eyes resting on his pale, muscular buttocks. She let out a long shuddering sigh.

Gods, Severus was so infuriating, but so, so, sexy. After five years, he still made her belly do flip-flops.

The Potions Master placed his wand down on the vanity, then opened the vanity cabinet and located his salve. Taking the jar out, he opened it, and liberally greased his erection. He washed his hands, picked up his wand and returned to the bedroom. He looked at Hermione.

"Turn around," he hissed, his eyes glinting at her.

Hermione looked up at him, completely unaware of his glistening organ. Thinking he wanted to take her from the back, the witch turned, heat rising in her belly as desire flooded her. She gasped as she felt the tip of the wizard's wand touch her rectum. He murmured a spell to scourgify and lubricate her. Hermione started as she felt the familiar bubbling inside her.

"Severus," she said, attempting to turn back around, but the wizard dropped his wand and grabbed her so she couldn't turn and bent her over the bed. He positioned himself against her little puckerhole.

"Blame yourself witch, " he hissed as he positioned himself. "Calling me an ass made me want yours."

He gripped Hermione tightly around her waist, pulling her back as he thrust, Hermione gasping as he penetrated her. The beginning was always a bit rough on her, but she could take him. The Potions Master groaned.

"I never get used to this witch. You ares is magnificent," he purred, pushing deeper into Hermione, shuddering as her sphincter muscles seized around him tightly.

He pushed deeper, the witch trembling around him as she cried out, holding herself up over the bed on her hands, her hair falling around her face, her body jerking back and forth rhythmically as the wizard stroked her.

"Yessss," he sighed, pulling her into him, watching his possession. What the wizard loved was how petite the witch was, and how her body still received him…all of him. Watching her take his huge tool was a turn on that never grew old.

Severus placed his hands on both sides of Hermione's hips and pushed her buttocks together tightly over his shaft, increasing his pleasure as he penetrated her, his head falling back as he possessed his lover, sliding through her flesh. Gods, he loved this. Loved her.

Hermione cried out as she felt the wizard filling her over and over. There was no pain now, just his delicious thrust and depth, his voice crooning in pleasure. It was the wizard's silken voice expressing his pleasure, his lust, his satisfaction that moved Hermione, made her want to give him as much pleasure as he could stand. It was only with her that Severus' coldness melted, that his detachment fell in upon itself and he became fire and brimstone and lust and lover.

His possession had always been overpowering, even from the first time, but now…coupled with his love…their connection was earth-shattering. Hermione felt more whole with the wizard than ever before. She hadn't thought it possible.

Severus bent over her back, plunging into the witch deeply, whispering obscenities in her ear as he continued to possess her, growling his love and his lust, letting her know in no uncertain terms that she was the only witch he desired. Driven by the sweetness of his words, and the hunger in his thrusts, Hermione let out a long keen, orgasming, her muscles rippling over the wizard as she climaxed.

Severus groaned and fell still. He would have come if he let himself be lost in Hermione's response. It was a different kind of orgasm. Severus felt Hermione shudder and release, yet he wasn't in the proper place to feel her juices wash over him, but still in a place where he could feel her pleasure wrack her body. He held himself deep inside the witch, hissing as her inner walls pulsed over him. She had a reaction…a reaction he could feel

Severus groaned, allowing himself to feel Hermione let go, then pulling out of her.

"You sweet, sweet witch," he breathed. "Get in the bed."

Hermione climbed into the bed and laid on her back as Severus picked up his wand and scourgified himself, just to be on the safe side. He climbed into the bed then rolled on top of her, settling between the witch's thighs, his dark eyes meeting hers.

"I'm a free man, Hermione Granger," he said to her, "Now in every sense…but you have always made me feel free when you accepted me. You have been my port in the storm that was my life for the past five years."

Severus slid inside the witch with a groan. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, arching in reaction as his girth and thickness filled her.

"How did you come to love me so much?" Severus murmured as he began to move gently in the witch. "What did you see in me, witch?"

Hermione moaned with pleasure as Severus buried his length in her over and over, her amber eyes hot and half lidded as she looked up at him, his hair a swinging curtain around his face.

"I don't know, Severus," she whispered, "I only know I love you."

The wizard's heart seemed to tighten in his chest, and he locked his mouth to hers and began to take Hermione harder, driving into her body as if he were trying immerse himself inside her completely, his hips raising high and plunging downward, Hermione crying out against his lips as he rode her.

Hermione felt the bubble of need growing, spreading through her lower region as the wizard pounded her body passionately, his welcome ache lifting her to the heights, her body tightening around him. Severus pulled away from her mouth.

"Together," he panted, raising himself on his hands and slamming into Hermione so she exploded around him, her body arching upward as she flowed, feeling Severus coming with her, his voice gravelly with pleasure as he cried out and pulsed strongly, filling her with his own hot release, then collapsing, his mouth seeking hers hungrily as she ebbed, returning to him.

"Yesss," the wizard sighed, breaking the kiss, burying his nose in Hermione's hair and breathing deeply. He fell still, and presently began to snore, still buried inside her.

Hermione caressed his hair lovingly. Severus didn't often fall right to sleep after sex, but hell…he had a long day.

He never did get a chance to tell her what happened that night.

Hermione found out the next morning via the Daily Prophet, which was left outside Severus' office door since they didn't go to breakfast. The Potions Master was still asleep when she retrieved the paper.

"What?" she exclaimed as her eyes flicked over the headline.

**"Three Slytherin Students Slay the Dark Lord!"**

Hermione walked back into the bedroom, up to the bed and looked down on the sleeping Potions Master. He wore a peaceful expression as he lay on his stomach, his pale face snuggled into the pillow. He snored lightly.

Hermione watched him sleep for a few moments, then whacked him in the head with the rolled Daily Prophet.

The wizard woke immediately, springing up in the bed. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked at the witch blearily. Hermione was wearing his black housecoat, which was much too long for her, the hem dragging on the floor. It was tightly tied.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, witch?" he seethed at Hermione, rubbing his head. She'd given him a pretty good whack.

Hermione held up the Prophet and let it unroll, showing him the headline.

"Do you mind explaining this?" she asked him, frowning.

Severus' black eyes shifted from left to right as he read the headline. He looked at Hermione, who glared back at him.

"Errr…" he began.

"No wonder you didn't want to tell me about Voldemort last night you sneaky snake!" Hermione yelled at him. "What the hell was Mathias doing at the Dark Lord's fortress?"

Severus rolled out of bed and stood up.

"Killing Voldemort, obviously," he replied walking toward the bathroom.

Hermione turned red as fire at his reply. She listened as he took a long piss, waiting with her hands on her hips for him to finish. The loo flushed and the basin turned on for a moment, then Severus emerged.

"Severus Snape, you tell me what happened, and tell me now," Hermione demanded.

Severus looked at her and walked over to the bed. He sat down on it and patted the space next to him.

"Sit down," he said.

Hermione scowled at him.

"I'd rather stand, thank you," Hermione replied.

Severus looked at her a moment.

"All right. I will give you the short version. Years ago, when Mathias met Andreas and they became friends, Mathias took a spiritual journey in order to acquire the powers of Andreas' people and to become Andreas' spiritual brother. He acquired some powers because of this. Andreas showed him a vision of Voldemort taking over the wizarding world. Thousands of people were slaughtered in the streets and Andreas' own people were eventually slaughtered as well. Andreas wanted to kill Voldemort before this happened, but was forbidden by the elders. So he couldn't kill Voldemort, but he found a loophole. He could help his spiritual brother in any battle."

Hermione scowled darkly at this. Andreas was the one who talked Mathias into this madness. She'd thought him such a nice boy. She should have known better. He was a Slytherin after all. They were all manipulative little buggers.

"So he used Mathias?" she asked Severus, her face terrible.

"No. Mathias received his own vision of both of us being tortured and killed by Voldemort in the future and wanted to keep it from happening," Severus said.

"But how did they know if the visions were true?" Hermione said, "They could have been fantasies, or waking nightmares!"

"They were boys, Hermione. And Andreas does have the gift of precognition. Mathias seems to have it as well, though not to the same degree. They weren't going to chance it. So they began to train to kill Voldemort, learning spells and how to fight…right from Mathias' first year," Severus explained.

Now Hermione sat down on the bed. Her son had planned to kill Voldemort at age eleven, and carried that about with him all these years? Good gods.

"Eventually, Jasmine Malfoy began to train with them, though she had no knowledge of the boys' plans until recently. The boys had planned to go after him after they graduated, but when the DKV was dissolved and Voldemort's plans changed, so did theirs. They found out Jasmine had been chosen to be the Dark Lord's consort. It wasn't supposed to happen until she reached her eighteenth birthday, but the Dark Lord changed his mind and summoned her on New Years Eve. Draco brought her to him," the Potions Master said.

"That still doesn't explain how Mathias and Andreas got into his stronghold," Hermione said, her mind whirling.

"A stroke of genius. They transformed into bracelets and Jasmine wore them to the Dark Lord's bedchambers. Once there, they transformed back, cast dampening spells and overcame the Dark Lord physically, forcing him to drink a potion that paralyzed him. Then Andreas dismembered him and fed his body to Gabby, Rita Skeeter's weredog," Severus explained.

Hermione thought about this. They transformed themselves into inanimate objects? Hmm. She was going to check her lab when she went home. She had a feeling she was missing some charms. And what was this about a weredog?

"How did the weredog get there?" she asked him.

"I brought him. The Dark Lord's body needed to be disposed of in such a way as to render his resurrection impossible," the Potions Master said.

Hermione frowned at the wizard. This was proof of his part in all this.

"Then that means you knew about their plan all along," Hermione said accusingly, "and didn't tell me!"

"I knew about the vision Andreas had, and the boys wanting to kill Voldemort, but that was supposed to happen after they graduated. I only found out about the plan they developed recently when I told Mathias that I was going to face the Dark Lord and probably wouldn't survive. He took me to Order Headquarters…"

Hermione turned three different shades of red at once.

"Order Headquarters? How did they know about that?" Hermione asked him, her eyebrows raised. She was so angry. How could he have hidden all of this from her? Mathias could have been killed.

"They began training with Tonks and Kingsley shortly after telling Dumbledore and I about the vision, and what they hoped to do when they graduated. As I said, it was something a long way off, and I thought training them to fight properly would help them along," the wizard said.

"So you helped them? Instead of telling them they were too young to try such a crazy, dangerous thing as killing the Dark Lord?" Hermione hissed at him.

Severus scowled at her.

"Hermione, neither you or I could've stopped them once they graduated. I would rather see them prepared than to try and kill him on their own without any guidance," the wizard said evenly. "Now, please…let me continue."

Hermione shut up, still scowling.

"Mathias took me to Order Headquarters and let me, Tonks and Kingsley watch them act out their attack on Voldemort with golems in the ROR. They were quite effective. We made an alternate plan. Instead of my distracting Voldemort, they would do it and when the wards came down, I would port key to their side just as the Order arrived. It was my intention to help them, but Andreas was cutting off his head when I arrived. They had already overpowered and killed him."

Severus had purposely left out the part about the Dark Soul of the World and the Iboga potion. That would have been very hard for the witch to absorb. But he had told the story properly as far as he was concerned.

"But why didn't you tell me about this, Severus?" Hermione demanded. She felt betrayed.

"Because, Hermione…you would have interfered, that's why. You would have browbeat the boy and made him lose his focus. He and Andreas worked very hard in their training and with their planning, and it served them well in the end. If you had interfered, more than likely Voldemort would be in power now," Severus said.

"But they are so young, Severus and you let them put themselves in danger," she said.

Severus arched an eyebrow at her.

"I seem to remember another trio that got themselves in one dangerous situation after another. Saving the Philosopher's Stone. Seeking out Basilisks. Facing werewolves, dementors and freeing prisoners. Not to mention battling deatheaters in the Ministry itself," Severus said. "Harry faced off with Voldemort at a younger age than Mathias."

Hermione fell silent. Her parents never knew all the dangers she faced when she was in Hogwarts. They would have never allowed it.

"But they all could have been killed, Severus," she said lamely.

"But they weren't Hermione…and they stopped thousands from being slaughtered as well. They were battling evil, Hermione, an evil that might have killed them anyway if Voldemort came into power. You know what it is to be driven to fight evil. They had a vested interest in seeing the Dark Lord fall, and they killed him. But their method of operation from beginning to end was Slytherin. They wouldn't have told a soul of their plans if they didn't have to. That is the Slytherin way after all. And I too am a Slytherin, so it should come as no surprise that I kept this knowledge to myself. Your knowing wasn't necessary Hermione. It would have been a constant source of worry and driven a wedge between you, our son and me. By not telling you, we were all spared that pain."

Hermione looked at Severus and knew he was right. Her protective instincts would have kicked right in, and she would have tried to sway Mathias from his path at every turn. Things would have gotten ugly. She realized her son was a hero.

Hermione stood up and took off Severus' robes and walked into the bathroom naked. Severus sat there for a moment then called to her.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Taking a shower, then getting dressed. It's going to be a media madhouse around here with Mathias, Andreas and Jasmine at the center of it all. They are going to need some support," she said, turning on the spigot in the shower.

Severus considered this. And something else.

"I'll join you," he purred, rising from the bed and walking into the bathroom, his erection leading the way.

* * *

Newspaper reporters and photographers were clamoring at the doors of Hogwarts demanding to see the "Dark Trio" as the papers dubbed Mathias, Andreas and Jasmine a take off the "Golden Trio" of Harry, Ron and Hermione long ago. Up to this point the media had to rely on second hand accounts from Order members. They wanted at the youngsters to hear their side of it. The public had a right to know. Rita Skeeter would have accessed Hogwarts by now, if she had been alive. Her beetle form was perfect for sneaking into places.

The doors opened and Albus exited the castle. The reporters started shouting at him immediately. The wizard held up his hands and everyone quieted.

"Good morning," Albus said, "I realize that you all are anxious to meet with our young heroes. The Great Hall has been set up for a press conference. You will all enter Hogwarts in an orderly manner, take your seats and Mr. Snape, Mr. Mbutu and Miss Malfoy will enter and take a few of your questions. You are expected to act in an orderly manner or you will be expelled from the school. Am I understood?"

Murmurs of assent rose from the crowd.

"Fine. If you will all follow me," Albus said. He entered the castle and the crowd of reporters and photographers followed, jostling each other as they squeezed through the double doors. Staff members lined the main hall, watching to make sure none of the reporters slipped away from the crowd. They all filed into the Great Hall. All four house tables had been removed and rows of folding chairs stretched from wall to wall, with a center aisle. The reporters all rushed for the front row and the mayhem was almost like a rough version of musical chairs as they quickly plopped in the available seats. Photographers took up position against the walls, checking their cameras.

After everyone settled in, Mathias, Andreas and Jasmine entered through the staff entrance and took seats in the middle of the high table. Mathias' black eyes drifted over the mass of reporters. Jasmine was flushed and red. Andreas was calm as ever, also looking over the crowd. He shifted to aura view and saw the crowd as one big mass of curiosity. Albus stood beside Mathias. He would be selecting the reporters to ask questions.

Suddenly the staff entrance opened again and Hermione and Severus entered. Severus' attempt at a quickie in the shower had been unsuccessful, so he looked a tad sullen as he strode into the Great Hall.

Albus quickly created two more chairs. Hermione sat next to Jasmine, but Severus declined to sit, standing behind Hermione with his arms crossed, glaring at the crowd of reporters. This gave the photographers a great photo opportunity and a number of pictures of the couple were taken.

Mathias looked over at his mother, who narrowed her eyes at him slightly. He swallowed and looked back at the sea of media people. No doubt he was going to get an earful from Hermione when she got him alone. Andreas, who was calm and collected suddenly stiffened as the doors opened and a tall, black wizard accompanied by a short and curvaceous witch wearing robes with a brightly colored swatch of fabric thrown over her shoulder entered the Great Hall. Her hair was elaborately done in braids and beadwork.

"Shit," he breathed. Mathias looked at the pair who entered. There was no mistaking who they were. Andreas was the spitting image of his father.

"Your parents?" Mathias asked anyway.

"Yesss. It might have been better if Voldemort had killed me," Andreas whispered as his father looked at him with hard eyes. They both took a seat in the last row.

Albus looked over the crowd.

"Those with questions please raise your hands. Stand, identify yourself, what media you represent, who you are addressing, then state your question when you are recognized," he said.

Immediately almost every hand went up.

Albus selected a wizard in glasses. He stood up.

"Franklin Taninbaum, Daily Prophet. This question is for Mathias Snape. How did you get into the Dark Lord's stronghold?"

"Jasmine wore me and Andreas. We were transformed into bracelets," Mathias answered.

More hands went up. Albus selected another reporter.

"Felicia Pettybone. The Quibbler. This question is for Jasmine. Why were you at the Dark Lord's fortress?" the reporter asked.

"Voldemort summoned me. He had chosen me for his consort," Jasmine replied, reddening.

Excited murmurs went up at this news.

More hands went up. Albus chose another reporter.

"Donovan McDougal. Wizards and Witches Weekly. This question is for Jasmine. Did you frequently have sex with the Dark Lord?"

Jasmine reddened.

"No. I never had sex with him. Last night was the first time I was summoned," she declared, frowning at the reporter. "He never touched me."

More hands went up. Albus chose another reporter.

Evelyn Quinley. Playwizard magazine. This question is for Jasmine. Are you a virgin?" the witch asked, her glasses glinting.

Jasmine reddened. She was about to speak when Albus interrupted.

"Please keep your questions general. If you have personal questions, please request an interview. This question will remain unanswered. Next question please."

Albus selected a black wizard.

"Benjamin Addison. Wizards of Color Magazine. This question is for Andreas Mbutu. How exactly did the Dark Lord die?" he asked.

"After Mathias and I cast a dampening spell, all three of us physically overpowered the Dark Lord and paralyzed him with a potion. Then I dismembered him with a machete," the wizard replied.

A collective gasp went up from the group. Photographers went wild snapping photos of the wizard. Andreas' father's eyes widened a bit, then he said something to his mother, who nodded, staring at her son with a sober expression.

Albus selected another wizard.

Joseph Beetlebug. Brooms and Wands Magazine. This question is for Andreas. Didn't it bother you to hack a wizard to death?"

Mathias and Jasmine both looked at Andreas, who remained calm.

"No. I have slaughtered animals before. The Dark Lord was an animal," he said, his eyes hard, "He was a murderer and would have gladly killed thousands more. It was better he should die than thousands of innocent witches, wizards and muggles."

Another murmur went up.

The next question was for Mathias.

"What was the name of the potion used to paralyze the Dark Lord?" the reporter asked.

Mathias looked at Andreas, who nodded slightly.

"It was an elixir made from the root of the Iboga plant," the wizard replied.

Hermione's eyes widened. She had heard about that root. It was supposed to free the soul to journey on the astral plane. Was that how Mathias took his spiritual journey years ago? She looked up at Severus, who seemed to be studiously studying the crowd.

The bastard. The Potions Master knew about the potion and conveniently left the details out of his explanation. Well, Hermione knew one snake who'd be chilling his scales in the doghouse for the next couple of weeks. Severus was officially cut off.

A few more questions were asked. The final one came from a short, bald wizard with a nasty gleam in his eyes.

"Damien Devlin. The Voice of V. This question is directed at all three youngsters. What does it feel like to know you have murdered the greatest hope of the wizarding world in cold blood?"

All three of the trio looked at the wizard. Albus was tempted to interrupt and looked over at Severus who shook his head slightly. Jasmine, Mathias and Andreas put their heads together and conversed quietly. Then they separated.

"We wouldn't know how that feels, sir, since the wizard we removed was not the greatest hope of the wizarding world, but the greatest threat. We have no remorse and would kill him again if we had the opportunity," Mathias said, his dark eyes glinting back at the wizard as both Andreas and Jasmine nodded agreement.

The wizard scowled blackly at the trio and sat back down. More hands went up.

"I'm afraid that was the final question of this press conference. If you would like further contact with these three students, you will have to contact their parents to arrange interviews. Thank you for coming," Albus said, gesturing to the three to rise and exit the Great Hall. They did so, followed by Severus and Hermione.

Once they were in the corridor, Hermione stalked up to the trio.

"You could have all been killed! What were you thinking?" she exclaimed at them.

"We were thinking that if Voldemort invoked that mark, mum…thousands of people would die and the wizarding world would be lost," Mathias said evenly, "Keeping that from happening was worth risking our lives for, don't you think? If you, Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron had a good chance of stopping him, wouldn't you have tried?"

Hermione knew the answer to those two questions was a resounding yes.

The witch stared at Mathias and realized he was no longer a little boy. At the age of sixteen, he had become a man. A very young, brave man.

"Yes, we would have," she said softly, embracing her son, tears forming in her eyes. She pulled back from him and looked at all three.

"But did you have to be so damn Slytherin about it?" she asked them.

"Mum, of course we did. We're Slytherins…not Gryffindors. We don't sing everything we do from the turrets like they do. Twits," Mathias replied, scowling.

Severus smirked. Unfortunately Hermione saw him and gave him a black look. Severus suddenly knew his trim supply had just run dry.

"Andreas," a thickly accented voice called.

The group looked down the corridor and saw Andreas' parents standing there, his father looking somber, and his mother's eyes glistening.

"Mother. Father," Andreas said, walking toward them.

"We need to talk to you," his father said sternly as his mother embraced him tightly.

"Yes sir," Andreas said. He looked back at the group.

"I will return," he said.

The way his father looked, Mathias wasn't sure about that.

"All right," Mathias said.

"I will see you, brother," Andreas said falling in step with his parents, his mother's arm wrapped around his waist.

Both his mother and father looked startled at how their son addressed Mathias. Brother?

As soon as they were out of sight of the group, Abayomi said to his son, "Brother? Did that young white wizard take the journey, Andreas?"

Andreas nodded.

"He has black eyes, father. He met the Dark Soul of the World and passed his tests. He is my brother," the young wizard said.

Abayomi let out a sigh of relief.

"I see what you have done, Andreas. You helped your brother with his battle. I thought you had disobeyed the elders. This is a great relief, my son," the wizard said, his face softening.

"I would never disobey the elders, father," Andreas said.

Sharika looked at her son sternly.

"But you found a way around their directive. You planned this, Andreas," she said.

"Yes mother. I received a vision that Voldemort would one day kill our people. Everyone. The elders, the children, even the animals and crops were destroyed. I could not let that happen," he said sincerely. "The white wizards' problem would have become our problem. People are connected. What affects one affects all. Voldemort had to be stopped."

His mother looked at him.

"I am so proud of you, Andreas," she said, kissing him on both cheeks.

"As am I," Abayomi said, his dark eyes shining with pride.

Andreas beamed at both of them as they continued walking.

"I was going to take you out of Hogwarts, Andreas," his father said, "And send you to your grandparents. But now that I know the truth, I think a reward is in order. What would you like for a reward?"

Andreas looked at him and thought of Dana.

"I want nothing, father. I already have my reward," he said, smirking.

Sharika caught a glimpse of Dana in her mind and looked at her son.

"Be careful. Be gentle," she said to him knowingly.

Andreas' people had no hang-ups about sex. It was natural. Like breathing.

Abayomi caught on at once when his wife spoke. He looked at his son.

"Above all, be thorough," he said, grinning as Sharika elbowed him. He arched an eyebrow at her.

"Thorough is good, is it not Sharika?" he asked his wife, a slight gleam in his eyes.

If Sharika was of a lighter complexion, her blush would have been obvious.

"I will be," Andreas replied, a bit of a gleam in his own eyes.

Sharika shook her head.

Wizards. No matter where they came from, when it came to witches, they were all the same.

Randy.

* * *

Disillusioned, Andreas waited impatiently in front of the ROR for Dana to arrive. Most likely the witch wouldn't be missed…the student body returned tomorrow, and over the holidays, the curfew had been rather lax.

The wizard went over the scenarios Mathias showed him several times, and the list of what to do…deflowerment dropped because the witch was not a virgin. Actually, Andreas was glad of that, because he wouldn't have all the trouble of deflowering her. It was five minutes after nine…where was the witch?

Disillusioned, Dana made her way to the floor the Room of Requirement was on. Her stomach was all aflutter at meeting the wizard there. Andreas was one of the most famous wizards in the wizarding world, and had been the one to actually kill Voldemort. Dana found the thought of being with him exciting and a bit dangerous…and it was like an aphrodisiac to the witch. What would he be like? Dana had a feeling the wizard would be very passionate. He always looked at her as if he wanted to devour her.

Dana had only been with one young man before. His name was Evan, and they had gone together for three years. She was leaving America for England and they agreed to part ways, consummating their relationship before she did so. She wanted to give Evan something special to remember her by. It had been a rather short experience, although sweet.

Her stomach filled with butterflies, she walked toward the ROR, and stopped in front of the door, disillusioning herself. She didn't see Andreas. Was he already in the room? She started to open the door when she felt strong arms slip around her waist and pull her back. She felt a hard body against her back, then looked down and saw a shimmer encircling her.

"Andreas," she breathed as the wizard appeared. He pressed his lips close to her ear.

"Yes…Andreas. I was about to come search for you, Dana. I thought you might have broken your promise to me. I couldn't let you do that. I've waited too long for you as it is," he breathed, releasing her waist with one arm, pushing the door to the ROR open and walking her through it, kicking the door closed with his foot.

The ROR had created a lush, jungle-like setting for them, in the middle of which was a small clearing that contained huge four poster bed. Greenery was everywhere. The scent of flowers and the sound of singing birds filled the air. It was a very pretty, private setting. Dana's eyes widened.

"Did you do this, Andreas?" she asked the wizard quietly, awed by the surroundings.

"No, but the room knows I am natural…so gave us a natural setting…except for the bed. Normally I would take you on the ground," he teased, then kissed her throat gently.

"The ground?" she asked. "No blanket?"

"Nothing but earth," he replied, still teasing her. He would never do that…unless she wanted him to.

Unlike Mathias, Andreas was not nervous at all about shagging Dana. He knew what to expect and what to do. He began to unfasten her robes from behind. He wasn't wasting time. Dana was a bit shocked.

"Andreas, what are you doing?" she asked him.

"Stripping you. I need you naked," he said softly, unfastening another fastener. He pressed against her lightly, letting the witch feel his erection against her buttocks. Dana let out a shuddering sigh.

"Do you feel me, Dana? I am so hard for you," Andreas breathed into her ear as his hands dropped lower. "I have been waiting for you all my life."

His hands moved lower on her robes as the witch giggled.

"Andreas, that line was old centuries ago," Dana said, smiling.

"It isn't a line, Dana. It is the truth. I saw you long ago before we ever met, and I knew you were to be my first the moment I saw you here at Hogwarts," he said, opening the last fastener and turning the witch to face him.

His first?

"Andreas…you've never done this before?" she asked him, her eyes troubled. He had been so aggressive, Dana was sure he already had experience.

He looked at her with hot eyes.

"No…I am a virgin," he said, parting her robes and gazing on her body for the first time, "But not for long," he added as he took in her full breasts and hips. Dana was built very much like his mother. He had his father's attraction for full-figured witches.

"You are beautiful," he said, looking into the witch's eyes.

"Andreas…I have to tell you…you aren't my first," she said softly, "does that make a difference to you?"

Andreas shook his head.

"Women of your age are seldom virgins in my tribe," Andreas said, "there is no shame in it. We become curious about each other as early as fourteen. I wasn't raised there. If I were, I would not be a virgin either. But you, Dana, will cure me of my virginity."

He released the witch and began to unbutton his own robes.

"I am quite curious about you. About your body," the wizard said, his eyes washing over her again. "I want to explore all of it."

Dana shuddered a bit, feeling heat in her belly. Explore her body? With Evan there had been a hurried undressing in the dark, a few quick kisses, a lot of fumbling, then pain, then a few moments of good feeling, then it was over. She hadn't even seen what his body looked like.

Andreas stripped off his robes, and Dana's eyes widened as she looked at the wizard's tool. It was darker than the rest of him, but the head was reddish. It was very long and very thick.

"Oh my gods," she said, stepping back from him. Andreas quickly stepped forward, closing the distance.

"It will fit," he said, lifting her robes from her shoulders and sliding it down her arms, revealing her body.

Dana didn't look convinced as the wizard stared at her body. Yes, Dana was definitely a full-figured witch. She was a D-cup at least, her breasts large and firm, with dark brown nipples. The witch's hips were wide and her thighs thick. She had ass for days. A curly patch of dark hair rested between her thighs.

Andreas swallowed as he looked at her, unable to find words for a moment. He was overcome with desire for the witch. He took Dana's hand.

"Come," he said, leading her toward the bed. His erection felt as if it weighed fifty pounds.

He stopped next to the bed.

"Get in, Dana," Andreas said hoarsely. He watched as Dana climbed into the bed and lay down on her back. Andreas took a deep breath.

"Beautiful," he breathed, about to join her…when he remembered the first step.

"Contraceptive spell," he breathed.

"I have a patch," Dana said, tapping her thigh. Andreas saw the round green patch appear. When it turned red, it was time for another one. The wizard hesitated.

"Wait here," he said, walking back to his discarded robes and retrieving his wand. He remembered the Professor had told Mathias not to leave contraception up to the witch. Dana had a patch, but Andreas wanted to make double sure she wouldn't end up pregnant. He was not ready to get married. If she had a baby, he would be expected to marry her. It was a great shame for a man not to care for his child and the mother of his child in his tribe.

Andreas returned to the bed and placed the tip of his wand against Dana's lower belly and whispered the spell. A slight blue glow rose from the tip of it and was absorbed into the witch.

"There. Now I know you are safe, Dana," he said, dropping the wand and climbing into the bed with the witch.

Andreas wasted no time rolling on top of the witch. Gods, it was like rolling on to a soft cushion of flesh. Andreas looked down at the witch, his black eyes meeting her brown ones.

"You are soft…and smell like flowers," he said, lowering his head and sniffing her hair. He reached around and removed the clip that held it in a twist, pulling it out with his fingers. She had long, thick black hair.

"We start," Andreas breathed, kissing the witch hungrily, his full lips capturing hers and sucking them gently before slipping his tongue into her mouth, tasting her heat for the first time. Her mouth was hot and wet and Andreas drank her in, his hands beginning to explore her body.

Dana began to make small, passionate noises that made Andreas throb. His hands slid around her firm, full breasts, and the witch let out a groan into his mouth. The wizard let his hands drift down further, sliding over her hips and swooping under her, cupping her buttocks before sliding up the small of her back. She was soft, warm…her skin feeling like silk under his palms. He moved his hand slightly slipping it to her inner thigh and Dana buckled as he came close to her core.

"I want to touch you," the wizard breathed at her before falling back to her mouth. Andreas slid his fingers between her folds and found the button Mathias had pointed out to him. He rubbed it and Dana shrieked into his mouth, her hips thrusting upward. No one had ever touched her there before or like that. It felt like electricity was shooting through her body. Andreas was lifted as the witch writhed and arched beneath him. He was doing it right.

Andreas removed his fingers and brought them to his face to look at them. They were wet with the witch's juices. He sniffed them first, then stuck them into his mouth, tasting the witch. His eyes went hooded as he looked down at her hungrily.

"You taste good," he growled at her, then kissed her again.

Dana could taste herself on his lips, but wasn't turned off by it. Andreas began to caress her body again, moving from her lips to her throat, kissing, licking and sucking her skin, the witch sighing with pleasure as his mouth moved over her flesh. Gods, if she had known Andreas could make her feel like this, she would have given in to him months ago. The wizard moved downward kissing and licking until he reached her huge breasts.

"Merlin," he breathed before suckling first one then the other, loving the way Dana sounded as he did so.

He continued running his hands over her body until the witch was whispering his name and undulating sexily. He left her breasts and moved lower, kissing her stomach and lower belly, the witch's hands caressing his head, which felt wonderful. Andreas continued sliding down her body, heading for his target. Dana stiffened as he pulled at her pubic hair with his lips.

"What are you doing?" she asked him as he pressed her thighs, parting them.

"This," he said, licking experimentally. Dana's thighs instantly clamped around the wizard's head tightly.

"Oh gods," she cried out, "What are you doing to me, Andreas?"

Andreas had to wrestle his way out of the headlock Dana had put him in, but he wasn't to be deterred. As soon as he broke free, he lifted the witch's thick thighs and wrapped his strong arms around them, holding her open and her legs in place. He lowered his mouth to her. This time the witch shrieked as his tongue caressed her clit. Dana's legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Meltdown," Andreas thought, applying himself to the young witch ardently, licking her from top to bottom. Then he sucked on her button, which made Dana twist powerfully and he had to wrestle her back in place.

"Andreas…you're killing me!" she cried.

"Then you will die a happy witch," Andreas said, going back at her, enjoying her taste and her cries. Dana was a strong witch, and Andreas was perspiring from the effort it took holding her down, but he liked it. His tongue slipped lower and he found her entrance. He stuck his tongue inside and twisted it. Dana's voice flew up an octave and she pulled on his ears.

"Ow! Let go, Dana!" he gasped as she twisted on his ears as if wringing out a washcloth.

Andreas had enough. He rose up and wrenched the witch's hands from his ears, launching himself back on top of her. Dana's eyes were glazed with lust, and she panted up at him.

"I didn't know sex was so painful for the wizard," Andreas said to her.

In answer Dana pulled him down into a very hot, passionate kiss, her hands moving over his body, then reaching between their bodies and grasping his shaft. Andreas hissed. It seemed Dana had gotten over her fear of it.

Dana released his mouth, but her hand was sliding up and down Andreas' hardness, the wizard panting, his eyes half closed with pleasure as she caressed his length. He wanted more however.

"Dana," he gasped, "you said you would do anything for me."

"Yes," the witch whispered, her brown eyes glistening up at him. She was so hot all over…she hoped he'd hurry.

"I want you to do to me what I just did to you," he said, rising to his knees, Dana's hand still wrapped around his him.

Dana was so turned on she didn't hesitate but sat up. Andreas rose to his knees and shifted closer to her. She leaned forward and slid the wizard into her mouth. Andreas reflexively grabbed her head…he couldn't help it. Her mouth was so wet and warm around him. He had never felt anything so good.

"Move your mouth back and forth," he said softly, remembering scenario two. He pressed Dana's head forward, and groaned as she slid up a bit. He was too big to go all the way in her mouth, but the part she was taking in felt wonderful. Andreas began to thrust, helping her. Then Dana sucked him and his whole body jerked.

"Do that again," he hissed at her. "Suck me again, Dana."

The witch realized the wizard liked that and began sucking and bobbing on him, Andreas shuddering strongly. He let out a string of expletives in his native language. Dana had no idea what he'd said and didn't care. She was on fire. She pulled away from him.

"Andreas…do me now," she gasped up at him.

But the wizard shoved his erection back into her mouth.

"Just a little more, Dana," he breathed. Andreas liked fellatio.

Dana worked on him some more, hoping to make the wizard hot enough to want to shag her. The ache between her legs was terrible. She didn't care if he were ten feet long…she wanted the wizard and wanted him now.

Andreas had his head tilted back, his eyes closed and was biting his lip. Damn, this felt so fucking good. He felt a little high as he felt her hands slip to his buttocks, clutching them.

"Yessss," he hissed, then looked down at her, watching the witch's mouth slide over him. Suddenly, he felt a tightness. He pulled out of the witch's mouth with a gasp and thought of something sad, very sad. The death of his grandparents. Both were hale and healthy, but still he thought of it, and the pressure lessened. Dana looked up at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, her eyes liquid.

Andreas looked down at her then suddenly fell forward, taking the witch down to the bed.

"Nothing," he said, "I am just ready to lose my virginity."

Andreas thought about what position he wanted to do with the witch. She wasn't a virgin, but Andreas liked the position in the second scenario where the wizard put the witch's legs on his shoulders and held her wrists down and took her. He looked like he went very deep. Andreas wanted to go deep inside Dana. The wizard had a dominant nature…he wanted to be in total control.

He hoisted Dana's legs on his shoulders and looked down at her core. It was a deep, purplish color…like a plum. Sweet as a plum as well. She was very juicy too…he could see it,

"You are very wet, Dana," he said to her.

"I know. I can feel it…now please Andreas. I'm aching down there," she said to him, a pleading look in her eyes. Andreas smiled at her.

"Now you want me. You know how I've felt all these months," he said to her.

"Fuck me, Andreas," the witch said, her eyes almost glowing with need.

Andreas throbbed powerfully.

"I never heard you curse before, Dana," he said, his black eyes glittering down at her. He liked what she said. "Say it again."

"Fuck me," the witch repeated, writhing beneath him.

Andreas hissed and quickly placed his length against her opening, then gripped her wrist again. He thrust downward, burying himself deep into Dana, the witch letting out a cry of pleasure as he filled her with his huge organ.

Andreas shuddered, his nostrils flaring as her tight, wet warmth wrapped around him. She was hot inside and soft. It felt as if he were immersed in a sheathe of pulsing, living velvet.

"Shit," Andreas breathed as he drew back and thrust into her again. Then again, then again, his eyes rolling up in pleasure as the witch moaned beneath him. It wasn't long before Andreas began to slam into the witch hungrily, hitting Dana hard and deep, groaning as her inner walls caressed him, sliding his skin up and down his shaft as he penetrated her. She was a big girl, and could take it. She didn't shriek but made definite noises of pleasure as the wizard drilled into her body. Dana felt so good that Andreas whirled inside her, shifting his hips as he thrust, making sure to bump the button, touching every part of her.

Dana looked so beautiful, her mouth open, her eyes unfocused, her voice rising every time he hit bottom, her big breasts bouncing up and down as Andreas rode her, hungrily, covered with her lubrication, the scent of sex heavy in the air.

"This is good, Dana," he gasped down at her.

The witch couldn't answer the wizard. There was something happening inside her that she had never felt before. It was like a sweet kind of swelling, something growing larger every time the wizard stroked her. She was straining to reach it, her face contorting.

Andreas saw her expression change and rode the witch as hard as he could, biting his lip against the pressure he was beginning to feel, a tightening that seemed to run all the way up his spine. He let out a growl as he tore into the witch, feeling her beginning to tighten around him and forcing his way through that delicious tightness, Dana's moans becoming more intense, increasing in volume. Suddenly the witch stiffened, clamping down on Andreas so strongly, he was trapped inside her. The pressure was something else. Then she exploded with a scream, her hot release washing over the wizard in a gush, Andreas crying out something in his native tongue as he blew, slamming into the witch, bliss thrumming through him, his mouth falling slack as he released inside her undulating body, pulse after pulse filling her to the brim.

Every muscle in the wizard's body contracted, veins standing out in his arms and neck, his skin glistening with sweat as if oiled as Andreas experienced his first orgasm with a witch. He felt as if his very essence were leaving his body and flowing into Dana's welcoming form. After a minute or two, he dropped to her soft body, exhausted and exhilarated. He felt her breasts rising and falling under him, and he managed to kiss her before letting his head fall to the side, his face buried in her hair.

He felt the witch rubbing his back tenderly and sighed. She was pleased. He had been thorough. He lay there, drunk on the afterglow, cushioned by Dana's soft, round body. Andreas felt his body relax in a way it had never relaxed before, and the satisfied wizard drifted off into a sated sleep.

Sex was definitely on his to-do list from now on.

* * *

Draco Malfoy managed to slither his way out of charges by stating that he had come to Voldemort's stronghold after having second thoughts about Jasmine serving as Voldemort's consort and was there to rescue her at his own peril. Since no one could prove otherwise, he wasn't charged with complicity.

It helped that there was no complicity to charge him with. Since the secret to the Dark Mark was never exposed, there was no solid proof that Voldemort ever had the power to turn a hundred thousand wizards and witches into killing machines. The deatheaters of the inner circle also escaped Azkaban since they all rededicated themselves to the DKV and were listed on the roles of the defunct organization as regular members. Even if Severus testified it would be his word against five thousand former deatheaters. Army? What army?

Draco wasn't finished yet.

He wrote a book.

A tell-all book about his own role in bringing down Voldemort. In the book he claimed to have realized long ago the danger Voldemort posed to the wizarding world, and purposely formed the DKV, knowing that eventually the organization would enflame wizarding society so much with its bigotry, citizens would rebel against it and Voldemort would be revealed as the despot he was. The smooth wizard claimed he purposely enacted unfair laws and pretended to hate all things muggle and muggle-born to keep his cover. His final stroke of genius was removing Hermione Granger from her position, thus starting the ball rolling for the downfall of the DKV and the Dark Lord. He never intended Jasmine to go through with becoming a consort for the evil wizard, and through various sources was aware the Order planned to attack the stronghold that New Year's Eve. He had hoped they would arrive at the same time he did.

"Do you really think I would be that inept in a courtroom? Me? Draco Malfoy? I purposely chose inflammatory witnesses, and Miss Edgecombe was a purposeful plant at the trial. I knew Cronnie Jockrin would see through the ruse. And by becoming a witness, I was able to tell the truth about Voldemort without his knowing that had been my intention all along. Of course, I was horribly tortured, but that was the price of bringing him down," Draco told an interviewer. "It was a lonely endeavor, but…in the end it worked."

Of course the public fell for it hook, line and stinker. Draco made oodles of galleons from the sale of the book and people lined up for his signatures when they purchased it. Eventually, Draco managed to be re-elected to the board and even got an Order of Merlin First Class for his daring, undercover role.

Jasmine, Andreas and Mathias basked in their celebrity. They received a lot of freebies and gave interviews. All three figured that their fame would open doors in the future, and being Slytherins, they made sure to stay news.

In their sixth year, Jasmine announced that she was going to pursue a degree in Muggle Studies, with a minor in Magical History. She had her father tap-dancing to her tune in exchange for her silence about his real role with Voldemort. He had promised to create a position in the Ministry for her when she finished university, Minister of Muggle and Muggle-born Affairs. This suited Jasmine just fine.

Andreas continued with Dana until she graduated, then they parted ways, Dana crying her eyes out because she had to return to America. Actually, Andreas was glad she was gone. She had become clingy and jealous of him, accusing him of shagging the many witches that were attracted to him. Andreas remained loyal to Dana, but she just didn't see it when so many lovely witches were practically throwing themselves at him.

Witches were throwing themselves at Mathias too, and he was catching every one of them. He enthusiastically kept up the Slytherin tradition of shagging witches of rival houses every chance he got. After Dana left, Andreas joined him in a friendly competition to be the Top Shagger of Hogwarts. But Mathias had quite a head start.

Mathias and Jasmine remained good friends, but never were intimate again. Jasmine met a muggle-born wizard in her seventh-year and fell head over heels in love with him, much to the chagrin of her family.

James Potter finally apologized to Mathias for being a git all those years, but Mathias didn't accept it. He was very much like his father and could be quite unforgiving. Harry was happy that the role of "Savior of the Wizarding World" had been usurped from him and lived a nice, peaceful life as a working wizard, serving the Ministry.

Severus and Hermione married in Mathias' seventh year in a quiet ceremony on the Hogwarts grounds, Hermione having taken the job of Spells Mistress of Hogwarts. Mathias was quite satisfied with this, and said the following to his father when Severus told him he had proposed and Hermione accepted him.

"Well, it's about time, dad."

At graduation, Mathias received exceptional marks, but didn't beat out his mother. He was behind by three lousy points. The young wizard blamed his father, claiming he showed favoritism and purposely gave him a lower grade than he deserved so his mum wouldn't make him move into the guest room. Severus just smirked at his accusation. That's how Mathias knew he was right. He continued on in university and received his certification as a Potions Master in six years. He returned to Hogwarts as an assistant to his father, who was thinking about retiring and opening his own business.

Andreas went on to university as well, majoring in Magical Administration. He landed a low-level position in the Ministry and eventually worked his way up to being elected to the board, the first black wizard to ever hold such a position. One day he would become the first black Minister of Magic. He and Mathias remained close.

Severus and Hermione lay side by side in bed, each one of them staring up at the ceiling.

"You know, Mathias is even snarkier then you are when he's teaching a class for you," Hermione said to the Potions Master. "The students are scared to death of him. Someone told me he actually made a student piss himself."

"That's my boy," Severus replied, smirking.

"And I wish he'd settle down. He goes through witches like water," Hermione complained.

"Hermione, let Mathias sow his oats while he can. You know…a ring on the finger is like a ring through the nose. He's young and there's a lot of fresh trim out there," the Potions Master said…then realized his mistake.

Hermione was scowling at him.

"Ring through the nose? Fresh trim? You sound envious. Maybe my 'trim' isn't fresh enough for you after all these years," Hermione said in a temper. She tried to climb over the wizard and leave the bed.

"Oh no you don't witch," he said, grabbing Hermione and pulling her on top of him. He tried to kiss her but she kept turning her head away. Severus scowled.

"I see I am going to have to use other tactics to calm you witch," he said to her silkily, pushing her off of him then quickly rolling on top of her, hiking up her nightie.

"No need to be jealous, Hermione. I have no designs on any other witch out here. Your 'trim' still has plenty of snap," he purred. "Besides, I love you."

Hermione sighed. He'd done it to her again. Melted her like butter.

Severus lowered the front of his boxers and quickly thrust inside Hermione, smirking at the familiar shriek he loved so much when he entered her hard like this.

The Potions Master started to move, his black eyes smoldering down at his wife. Yes, he did love Hermione, with all fire and passion that raged in his dark, tainted soul. There was no other witch for him. Ever.

"Now witch," he breathed, "Let me feel you snap."

THE END

* * *

A/N: And that is the final chapter of Daddy Dearest. I hope you all enjoyed it and thank you so much for reading.


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